Tag Walker Books

Deerheart

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Deerheart
Eoin Colfer, illustrated by P.J.Lynch
Walker Books

This is an original Irish fable set long ago in a magical forest under threat from outside forces. Created by earth goddess Danu to protect Creedon, a stone, are three sister witches born from trees who keep Creedon safe from humans. When their brother, warlock Drogool betrays one of the sisters, Deerheart, the youngest witch is born.

Years later, when she’s just eighteen, Deerheart encounters Halvar, a young human who is part of a small Norse army wanting to invade the forest, and before they realise what’s happening, the two have fallen in love.

Could she possibly have fallen in love with the first human she’d ever met, wonders Deerheart, going on to tell him, “I am not like you, Halvar … I can never leave this place. The Wood needs me and I would not survive away from it.” He responds by saying, “I know. … That is why we need a plan.” As the lovers are having this conversation though, they are watched by Drogool and before long darts are thrown, the first at Halvar; the second at Deerheart.‘

All is lost.’ we read, but is it? …

The magic of Eoin Colfer’s story telling draws you in from the opening pages and keeps you reading, totally enchanted right through to the final words, such is its power. Equally powerful are P. J. Lynch’s rather eerie charcoal black and white illustrations.

African Queens: Incredible Stories of Africa’s Legendary Women Leaders

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African Queens: Incredible Stories of Africa’s Legendary Women Leaders
Onyinye Iwu
Walker Books

It’s great to see a book featuring amazing African queens in an accessible style that will inspire child readers. By means of captivating visual images, immediately engaging captions and factual paragraphs, Onyinye Iwu introduces youngsters to some impressive leaders – thinkers, warriors and protectors (a dozen in all) – from various civilisations that developed over many centuries.

First, we’re taken right back to circa 1504-1459 BCE to meet Queen Hatshepsut who became a pharaoh, ruling alongside her stepson. Her focus was on trading and during the years of her reign, Egypt grew exceedingly rich. Hatshepsut used some of this wealth to build huge temples, the most famous being the Temple of Deir-el-Bahri. After her death, her successors attempted to erase her memory but were not wholly successful.

New to me two women I was particularly drawn to are: Queen Arawelo and Queen Nyabinghi. Queen Arawelo did all she could to ensure that men and women were treated equally in her kingdom; awesome to see a peaceable ruler and one who fought for women’s equality in Somalia circa 15CE. Moving forwards in time, the other is Queen Nyabinghi (circa 1750-1800).

Not only did she give her all, including her life, to the people of Karagwe (she was murdered by her jealous husband), but her wisdom and desire for peace inspired Muhumuza, a wife of the King of Rwanda, some hundred years later who is remembered as a freedom fighter and spiritual leader.

I learned a lot from this absorbing book and think there should be a copy in all primary collections and on the shelves of all children with an interest in world history.

Hogbert

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Hogbert
Briony May Smith
Walker Books

Hogbert is the littlest of six boar piglets who live in a faraway forest with their mother.  One day Mummy Boar tells her offspring that it’s time for their first exploration of the forest but warns them to stay quiet and stay together in case the big bad wolf is about. Hogbert follows his snout along a trail of delicious smells – cherries, berries and acorns – but suddenly realises that he’s by himself. Remembering his mother’s warning about the big, bad wolf, the fearful piglet huddles down to hide. Then he hears rustling sounds getting closer and closer; could it be that lupine character about to gobble him up?

However his fear is soon allayed by the appearance of Little Red, a squirrel on her way to visit her poorly granny. Does that sound familiar? Before long the two are worried, not by the wolf, but a snoring fawn and then two small bunnies, Nettle and Hosel that have also been led by the trail.
Then comes a “HOOOOOOWWWWWWLLLLLLLL!”

The next spread shows a lost looking wolf cub too, above the passage where the other creatures are making their way towards the open air. Eventually Hogbert leads them to the foot of a tall tree where a happy reunion takes place between adult creatures and their young ones. Time for Hogbert to bid farewell to his new friends: I love the “Smell you later!” goodbye to Red.

Indeed there’s so much to love especially Bryony’s mixed media depiction of the sylvan setting of the tale with its tall trees and those foxgloves, anemones and other wild flowers: and definitely not forgetting that tiny frog wearing a crown and sitting a-top a stone in a pond. Equally delightful is the lyrical telling with its fairy tale allusions, descriptions and occasional word play.

A great story to share with KS1 classes and individuals, making sure there’s plenty to time to peruse the pictures.

The Bakery Dragon

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The Bakery Dragon
Devin Elle Kurtz
Walker Books

Like all his fellow dragons, Ember loves gold more than anything else but his small stature prevents him from scaring anybody in the village enough to get it. Come dusk one day as the other dragons fly home with their latest spoils, Ember wanders into the foggy village led by a gold glimmer, only to discover that it’s a streetlamp. Continuing on his meandering he comes upon the window of a bakery and there, blanketed by warm light, falls asleep. During his slumbers a storm blows up and a kindly baker offers him shelter inside. She then proceeds to teach him her trade,

something that suits him very well. Ember can hardly believe his eyes at the product: trays of glowing golden toasty loaves of various shapes and sizes. The baker gives a tray to the little dragon and he flies back home where he lies atop his loaves, absorbing the wonderful aroma but feeling sad about missing the bakery.

This baker’s rich, buttery gold tastes even better than it smells and before long the delicious smell has attracted other dragons and their reactions to its delectable taste, gives Ember an idea. He returns to the bakery and after careful consideration, Ember and the baker establish what proves to be a very successful business arrangement. Finally, Ember has found his true gold and as we read on the final spread: ‘… baking gold is better than taking it. And sharing it is best of all.’

A feast for the eyes assuredly and one can almost smell the wonderful aroma emanating from the latter pages of the book and hear the soft crunching as everyone in the village sinks their teeth into the loaves: a truly tasty book.

Your Planet Needs You

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Your Planet Needs You
Elizabeth Laird & Will McDowall, illustrated by Paul Boston
Walker Books

After an exceptionally hot summer like the one we’ve been experiencing in the UK, few can deny our climate is changing. News about extreme weather conditions and temperatures that have reached highs like never before sound alarming. This we read, is largely due to the increase of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere thanks to the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation throughout the world.

However, despite the huge challenges we humans face, people the world over are inventing real-world solutions to help deal with the problems and children can find out about many of these from this book that presents a broad range of green careers.
Several of these involve the use of wind power, which is clean as carbon is not released into the air. If you are specially interested in engineering you could perhaps become a wind turbine engineer or a turbine service engineer; you’ll need a head for heights to undertake the latter as to repair a wind turbine entails being dropped from a helicopter on top of the turbine in question and then climbing down inside to fix the problem. Alternatively, a driving expert could be employed to transport the massive turbine blades to hilltops. There are even roles such as captaining a ship taking turbines out to set them up in the sea.

Other areas offer roles in looking after nature, including marine conservation, creative fashion design,

sustainable farming and more.

I suspect there will be jobs nobody’s ever thought of as yet, but this inspiring book offers an engaging, accessible way to open up discussions around climate change and how anyone and everyone can help. It’s pitch perfect for KS2 classes, especially to support the area of environmental education.

Unicornia: Camping in the Clouds / Cosmic Cadets and the Bubblegum Bots

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Unicornia: Camping in the Clouds
Ana Punset, illustrated by Diana Vicedo
Walker Books

This is a charming adventure with a mystery to solve, puzzles and the discovery of secrets hidden way up in the sky. Its narrator Claudia, is sitting in the classroom with her best friends Sara and Pippa when their teacher announces that they are going on a class camping trip. Two nights in the sky, something about which Sara is not enthusiastic and it takes a lot of convincing from her friends to persuade her to join them.

The following morning off they set on their unicorns destination the Campsite in the Clouds where on arrival they are greeted by sky guides Valentina and Tim, identical twins. Having off loaded their rucksacks in a tent, the three go to join the other campers for some activities, after which they have dinner and then it’s time for bed. They don’t sleep straightaway but spend some time talking and Sara admits that she she doesn’t like the dark. Her friends reassure her but can they help her to overcome this fear, let herself go and enjoy the adventure?

With themes of anxiety and fear of the dark, Ana Punset’s story with its likeable characters, questions, fun lists and Diana Vicedo’s illustrations in soft green hues will enchant young newly independent readers and it would also work as a bedtime story.

More action in the sky but for slightly older readers:

Cosmic Cadets and the Bubblegum Bots
Ryan Crawford, illustrated by Rochelle Falconer
Oxford Children’s Books

In this new adventure, intergalactic duo and best friends Gloria and Razz, the Cosmic Cadets are off on a new mission. They are absolutely determined to finish it at the top of the unofficial leaderboard as well as remaining super glam. Their mission is to locate and rescue a missing lynx and return it to the owner, not exactly the glamorous mission they were hoping for but the one they must undertake.

As they approach Bubbly Blasters Universal Facilitation Factory Inc. and prepare to dock, Gloria’s confidence wanes and on arrival they are met by a fluffy pink Bubbly named Nimbulon. Before long the friends have forgotten about their mission, become careless, even disregarding a huge display notice stating “For our safety and yours, never chew gum inside the factory”. What happens some time later is that the two friends start a robot-apocalypse unleashing bubble-gum wielding bot replicas on their unwary teachers and friends.

Can the quick-thinking best pals restore order and do so before Gloria’s mum returns.

This addition to the action-packed sci-fi series will be loved by established followers and is likely to gain the Cosmic Cadets some new fans too. Watch out for Cosmic Cadets and the Wormhole Witch coming in September.

Michael Rosen’s NICE! Poems

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Michael Rosen’s NICE! Poems
Michael Rosen, illustrated by Hannah Robinson
Walker Books

You can’t go wrong with a poetry book by Michael Rosen: this one is a new edition of a collection then named The Hypnotiser, I read to pieces in my classroom back in the late 1980s. Now it has a different illustrator whose line drawings are suitably hilarious. Here’s the one for a favourite of mine, The Car Trip that recounts the kind of journey many parents who have driven a car with fidgety children in the back seat will know all too well.

Young listeners will love Fast Food wherein a hamburger decides it’s not going to be eaten and starts a chase down the street following in the footsteps of the Gingerbread Man. Imagine your class full of six year olds all chanting, the repeat refrain “Eating me is cruel; / eating me is murder. / You can’t catch me / I’m the speedy hamburger.” at the top of their voices.

Also on the topic of food (indeed there are several poems about food) is Hot Food, so much fun that it has earned itself a solo picture book edition – Hot Food: Nice! and has become a meme in China and the USA. This one like many others you can catch Michael reciting on You Tube.

Much briefer and not actually having food related words in the title is My Mum:
‘My mum said to me and my brother; / “Don’t crumble your bread or roll in the soup.” / I said: / “I don’t want to roll in my soup.” // Then she said: “Eat up Michael.” / And my brother said: / “I don’t want to eat up Michael.”

Although the majority of poems herein are humorous there are some more serious including Deep Down about a sad place inside. I suspect we all have one of those that we visit from time to time.

It would be easy to go on enthusing about this book but instead I will finish by saying, just buy a copy; you won’t regret it.

Pog and Pickle’s Great Escape

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Pog and Pickle’s Great Escape
Ross Montgomery and Sarah Warburton
Walker Books

Guinea pig couple Pog and Pickle reside in a humans’ home with several other pets and the two are absolutely devoted to one another. There’s a big difference between them though: Pog ‘wanted more than to live in a hutch. There’s a massive world out there – I haven’t seen much,” she says to Pickle. However Pickle is scared of adventures such as the one Pog wants to undertake – to go and visit Peru and see the guinea pigs living there.

That night however, the family pack to go exploring Peru for a fortnight and unsurprisingly Pog decides to go too. Out of the hutch she squeezes and into a zipper bag where she hides in the socks. Off go the family with a stowaway guinea pig.
The following morning when Pickle finds the note Pog has left he’s devastated. Suppose she never returns? “I’ll have to go with her … I can’t be alone!” he groans. Off he sets to to the airport to find the plane to Peru but just misses it. Fortunately though there’s another flight almost immediately and he stows away on board.

Having arrived, the visitors have a long drive to the jungle and Pickle follows clinging tight to a lorry, eventually reaching a tropical paradise. But of Pog there is no sign. Suddenly he hears a familiar voice and can hardly believe it. There is Pog waiting and eager to introduce some of her new friends.
Thereafter the two visitors spend a summer full of fun

and Pickle reveals that she now understands Pog’s adventurous spirit and the allure of being brave and stepping out of one’s comfort zone.

When the family return home a surprise awaits …
Ross Montgomery’s rhyming narrative is a joy to read aloud and complemented by Sarah Warburton’s alluring, brightly coloured, detailed digital illustrations, brilliantly captures the adventure especially the initiative shown by Pog and Pickle to be together.

Indie in Disguise: Stylist-ing and Other Jobs

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Indie in Disguise: Stylist-ing and Other Jobs
Katie Clapham illustrated by Emma Farrarons
Walker Books

This contains fun four short stories about Indie, an highly imaginative little girl with a large personality and a knack for theatrics. She loves dressing up, both herself and others, and role-play.

In this first book in what I believe is to be a series, she takes on four different roles starting with that of a stylist. First off she has to dress herself appropriately with lots of necklaces, her star-shaped sun glasses and funky un-matching socks, a jacket, dress and top. But how much style is too much: she starts by adding bracelets to her Mum’s outfit, plus Dad’s over-large sun glasses, a large floppy hat and fur-trimmed gloves and persuading her to put on her silvery high heels. In the end some of these are removed as Indie considered she’d given Mum ‘too much style’ and anyhow, she had another use for a couple of the items.


The second story sees Indie at the grandparents’ trying her hand at being a cleaner. For this job she ‘borrows’ an apron with the words My Kitchen! My Rules! emblazoned across the front. But can cleaning up during the time her gran is baking buns really be a good idea?

In story three Indie is at her friend Sydney’s house and there ‘Doctor Indie the Dentist’ extracts a tooth belonging to Sydney’s little brother, Teddy. This is a tricky task as it involves some balancing of the chair legs.

Finally, Indie acts out the role of a librarian. Successful or not? That depends on whose viewpoint you take and you’ll need to get a copy of the book to discover how successful Indie is. It’s ideal for new solo readers or for sharing with an adult either at home or in a KS1 classroom.

Neighbour’s Cat

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Neighbour’s Cat
Michael Rosen and Alex Willmore
Walker Books

This hilarious picture book is narrated by a small child whose home a feline intruder frequents.

The moggy named Neighbour’s Cat is an entitled creature complaining about such things as the lack of a blanket on a chair and the loudness of the TV. He’s also demanding and insists on using the narrator’s bed for a sleep. It’s a long sleep and during his slumber time, the narrator starts imaging what the moggy might be getting up to: maybe he’s constructing a huge marble run;

maybe he’s enjoying a bath or trying on Mum’s clothes. Could he perhaps be in the attic planning a trip into space aided and abetted by a horde of robot cats. Alex Willmore’s dramatic illustrations are as imaginative as the child narrator’s notions concerning the moggy’s shenanigans.

It turns out however that the mention of food is sufficient to entice the visitor to return to his house, albeit with a parting request to the child narrator who is left with rather a lot of work to do.

A great read aloud that will delight not only moggy lovers of all ages but anyone who likes to see children giving full rein to their imagination.

Nine Times I Nearly Died

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Nine Times I Nearly Died
Benedict Allen
Walker Books

Benedict Allen had already decided to be an explorer when he was just ten year old. Since then he’s visited various parts of the world that hardly anybody has been to and at the start, so he confesses in his introduction, he knew very little about how to survive and had to rely on help from members of local communities.

Facing danger at every turn, he’s learned about distant and remote environments but as he says in his introduction, ‘one of the most important lessons I’ve learned isn’t only about the end goal; it’s also about what you discover along the way – and that includes what you learn from making mistakes or suffering setbacks.’

The first expedition sees Allen aiming to make the first known full crossing of the northern Amazon in Brazil and record what he could of the ‘pristine rainforest’. He hadn’t anticipated his canoe capsizing though. After consideration he decides to continue his journey on foot, about 105km through dense undergrowth and so he does, finally reaching a small hut and there he falls at the feet of a little man with extended arms and a reassuring smile. From there he’s taken by jeep to a hospital where he recovers from two kinds of malaria, one of which could have killed him. Readers may be astonished to learn that rather than being totally put off, Allen resolves to return to the Amazon rainforest.

Undaunted Benedict Allen undertakes eight further expeditions, none of which go entirely to plan. He visits the frozen Arctic (where he gets separated from his huskies and becomes lost in a blizzard), the Gobi Desert, endeavours to make the first crossing of Papua New Guinea’s Central Range, is shipwrecked on an island while attempting to cross the treacherous shark-infested Torres Strait between Papua New Guinea and Australia and is left without food or water.

Not put off by the events of his first Amazon expedition, Allen returns ten years later with considerably more experience and a lot more confidence. Word about him spreads and he becomes known as “El Mister” – another life or death situation occurs as it does in each of the remaining accounts. One being on a return to the Arctic and the final one being another return – to Papua New Guinea, first visited thirty years earlier, this time with malaria tablets.

Each adventure will have readers on the edge of their seats as they are gripped by the terrifying details. Whether they will be inspired to embark on their own expeditions depends to some extent on whether they are open to challenges be they close to home or in far far distant places. A book that will enthral older KS2 audiences and beyond. (There are photos, line drawings and diagrams throughout the book.)

Voice in the Flames

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Voice in the Flames
Mike Edwards
Walker Books

Mike Edwards is an author and poet from Teeside and he sets this story in north east England and unusually it includes use of the regional dialect that gives it a powerful sense of place. The main protagonist is Jack and he longs to be able to turn the clock back to when his dad was still alive and working as a Furnace Keeper at the old steelworks. Now though Dad is gone (he died around a year ago) and the works are closed down and stand silently, tower-like over the estate where Jack lives with his Mum who works at a care home and seems to do endless shifts, and Shadow the dog.

One day Jack and his friend Beans are kicking a ball outside the perimeter fence of the steelworks when it goes over into the site and determined to retrieve it, Jack squeezes through a gap and has a strange experience. He thinks he hears a voice, there’s lots of smoke and his clothes are covered in ash when he emerges. Later on he asks his mum whether his dad had ever spoken of anything strange at the works and she says that he talked of what she assumed at first was a workmate, Old Sal, but then learned that it was actually the furnace itself.

During half term Jack goes to sketch near the works and decides to investigate where the ball was lost. He comes upon the ball in the hands of a man with white candles in his hair who asks Jack to set him alight.

Beans tells Jack he is crazy but that doesn’t deter him; help the old man he will. So when his mum is once more delayed by work, off he goes with some of the takeaway that his Mum had ordered. He learns that the strange grey man knew his Dad and that makes him all the more determined so he gathers some things to create a fire and starts it in an oil drum. Sal claims to be a spirit that can bring the old works back to its former glory. He mentions his heart-stone and Jack realises what this is and promises to bring it to Sal; but later he realises where it belongs. Several surprises follow. How will this powerful, intriguing atmospheric fantasy-tinged adventure end?

The book’s conclusion reminds me of T.S.Eliot’s opening lines of Burnt Norton:
‘Time present and time past
 / Are both perhaps present in time future,
 / And time future contained in time past.’

Pyramid Boy

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Pyramid Boy
Satoshi Kitamura
Walker Books

This book takes us back in time to ancient Egypt and is narrated by a boy, Thomas, who time travels when he attempts to catch hold of a cat when in a museum he’s visiting with his parents. The next thing he knows is that he’s plunging down a long zigzag of stairs to a busy market in a strange hot place. In this market swapping replaces money and as he wanders around a young man calls to him, fascinated by Thomas’s glasses, which he mistakes for large eyes. The young man introduces himself as Pepi and offers to show him around.

They visit a papyrus factory, see scribes at work, go to a bakery and then deliver some papyrus bundles to Pepi’s friend. Later, walking along on the river bank Pepi takes his new friend to see how a mummy is made.

After an overnight stay with Pepi they join a long line of young people on their way to where the pyramids are being built and help with the work.
Eventually a man comes to find Thomas and the boy discovers that what seems like days has only been a few hours since he followed that cat.

A captivating combination of adventure and history, vibrantly illustrated with amazing detail and with additional information pages after the story and a smashing way to introduce Ancient Egypt to children, particularly those in KS2 who are studying the topic as an option in the history curriculum.

Really Rubie: A Diary

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Really Rubie: A Diary
Maddie Frost
Walker Books

Eleven year old Rubie Fox and her best friend Riley Fisher are about to go off to Camp Preview, expecting to spend the best summer ever together in the all girls’ camp. They co-create the TUCE (The Ultimate Camp Experience) TRUCE- – a list of the five things they will do together: 1) Make friendship bracelets, 2) Go water tubing, 3) Do the talent show, 4) Eat s’mores by a fire, 5) First kiss at the dance. The day before they leave though, these plans are thwarted when Riley calls to say she can’t go. She’d been trying out her mum’s high heels, fallen over and broken her ankle. Suddenly Rubie doesn’t want to go either but despite her best efforts to get out of it, go she must. However she makes a pact with Riley not to do any of the things on the TRUCE list; those will be saved for the following year. Riley gives her a sparkly item of clothing to take; it’s purpose being to don for the final dance.

Once at camp everybody seems to know everybody else and Riley’s absence is emphasised by the empty bunk bed next to Rubie’s in the Oak cabin, the one she’s to share with twins from France (and later, she discovers, also with Riley’s fashionista cousin, Kat.) Rubie decides to spend all her time in the cabin and definitely not go to the dance, but a bedtime pep-talk from Jim the Duck, her much loved stuffed chicken, inspires Rubie to set herself a ‘teeny-weeny’ goal. She should make a real friend and in so doing experience something positive.

The following day activities begin: archery, horse-riding and art for Rubie. At art she meets ‘comic girl’, fellow lover of both art and grilled cheese, who also has divorced parents and is feeling ill at ease at the camp. Her name is Eliza Sparrow, they start to co-create a comic and the two rapidly become firm friends. Soon though that TUCE TRUCE promise re-emerges, first with the gift of a friendship bracelet by Eliza and Rubie feels conflicted.

All sorts of shenanigans follow and Rubie discovers how to handle embarrassment, jealousy, being honest and being true to herself. Assuredly she feels different on her return home.

Amusingly told in diary format with black-and-white doodles on every spread, this is candid, cleverly presented and spot on for those around Rubie’s age.

Dave, Don’t Give Up!

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Dave, Don’t Give Up!
Olaf Falafel
Walker Books

Dave is a beetle with a very strange job. He has to roll a massive ball of dung to the top of a very steep hill. Why you might wonder, but you’ll likely receive the same response he gives to the worms that ask: “Don’t ask me why, it’s just what I do.” (Clearly they’re unaware of the specific kind of beetle that Dave is).

At least the weather is good: there’s no wind to impede him so off he sets ‘HRRRGGG!!!NNNNGGG!!!’ and the dung ball begins to move. After a while he encounters a chicken crossing the road but he passes the fowl successfully and continues upwards. By now the hill feels steeper and so his task is more difficult. Then a meerkat eating a sandwich splodges the marmalade in his path and on his head making his job ten times more tricky. Dave has had enough and decides to quit but as he’s about to return home his inner voice tells him not to give up, so off he goes onwards and upwards. Further obstacles impede his progress

but each time he announces he’s quitting that inner voice tells him to keep going until finally, he’s almost at the top. One more push is all that’s needed but disaster strikes and Dave is sent hurtling right back from whence he started. The words from within fail to come and a devastated Dave heads homewards. Then he hears two tiny voices with words of encouragement and more: it’s his offspring. The ball starts rolling yet again: will it finally make it to the summit?

There’s a hilarious comment from one of the little beetles that is sure to make both young listeners and adult sharers giggle. Poo, persistence, positive thinking and perhaps parenting are key ingredients in this one.

The Thing About Giants

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The Thing About Giants
Christopher Galvin
Walker Books

This book, the author’s debut, is inspired by Irish legends and what a cracker it is.

The first character we meet is Corman, a young giant living in fear of the metal birds that hunt giants, on his first trip above ground with his father. They are foraging for ‘jurtear’, much-needed healing herbs for his sister; but while so doing they come under attack from the flying spears of human hunters and become separated.

Enter twelve year old Jacq Dyer, who is the daughter of giant hunters living in Fathach, a tiered city built of giants’ bones. Having been raised to believe that giants are merely raw materials for expanding the city, she often wonders what it might be like beyond its wide protective wall.

The story is told through Corman and Jacq’s alternating voices and the two characters are soon to meet for the young giant catches the girl who falls from one of the machines sending out spears during a training mission. Lost and very frightened, the two decide that the only way to survive the fierce storm that is brewing, and find the way back to their respective homes is by working together: can they do so, even if it means Jacq has to eat worms?

With its rich world building, this is an exciting, thought-provoking adventure for older KS2 readers and beyond, that promotes acceptance, empathy and friendship while rejecting violence and prejudice. What we see is that under the surface, there is way, way more that connects humans and giants so long as both kinds are prepared to look for it.

I can hardly wait for Jacq and Corman’s next adventure.

Princess Pete

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Princess Pete
Zoey Allen and Frenci Sanna
Walker Books

Let me tell you about Pete who acts as the book’s narrator. Sometimes Pete is a prince; other times Pete is a princess. Pete loves to play with the boys and sometimes with the girls. Pete has a fair few friends but is yet to have a best friend. Some days Pete dresses in ‘pink shorts. yellow tops, and blue wellies.’ Other days Pete will be seen clad in ‘green jumpers, flowery trousers and butterfly sandals.’

Pete enjoys playing beauty salon with Mum,

and also enjoys getting mucky. Sometimes Pete likes playing alone bringing imaginary worlds and dreams to life perhaps having beautiful pegacorns flying round about while hedgehogs sing.

This behaviour, confuses some people who ask if Pete is a boy, others ask if Pete’s a girl. It’s difficult for Pete to know how to respond sometimes but mum and dad tell such people that Pete is Pete.”Princess Pete!” our narrator tells us. “I may have been born a boy, but I don’t always feel like the boys. Sometimes I feel more like the girls. Sometimes I feel somewhere in between.”

Such language might very well be used by non-binary or gender-fluid children who have yet to acquire those words; it’s a good way help them explain how they feel, age- appropriately, especially if, as is shown in one of Frenci’s scenes, people are finger pointing at the protagonist. An affirming story for all.

How Many Babies? / Yummy Yummy

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How Many Babies?
Yummy Yummy
Forest Xiao
Walker Books

Those who have read Seven Babies will immediately recognise the Forest Xiao’s adorable infant depictions. However How Many Babies? goes three better and introduces, one per spread, ten tinies in playful mood (occasionally accompanied by mum or dad). We see the first one playing peek-a-boo, two high fiving each another, three in a tight squeeze, four holding on as tight to Dad as he is to them, and so on until having made a mess munching their meal, they settle down, or some do, to sleep, along with their exhausted-looking parents.
A must for the very youngest’s book collection.

So too is Yummy Yummy. Some things are certainly yummy – corn and watermelon for instance and milk. Other items prove equally yummy – if you happen to be one of the delightful babies in this board book. Take, music (not the sounds but the instrument itself), table or stool, mark-making colours, even your own tootsie; and for sure, your infant pal had better beware if within close tasting range.

Giggles galore will likely result if you read this fun offering to your own baby, maybe more from the adult than the infant though. That said, slightly older little ones will devour it and perhaps demand more.

You Be You

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You Be You
Chitra Soundar and Sophie Bass
Walker Books

Sadly there are all too many people who are not willing to accept others who are different from themselves; equally sadly or perhaps even more so, is that a fair amount of the language used in speeches (and the press) intended to influence others in the current climate, is designed to attack those with different ideologies, to mislead or create division.

Chitra Soundar has written a lively rhyming narrative that promotes being, and celebrating being, yourself, while at the same time allowing and respecting other people’s right to be themselves, and learning to celebrate the voices of others however different they may be.

To that end she uses two voices – ‘me’ and ‘you’. Peaceful, respectful co-existence is what matters. This is very evident in Sophie Bass’s powerful illustrations especially the finale wherein diverse people are shown in and around the rainbow, which acts as a symbol of harmony.

Anybody who has ever felt categorised for one reason or another will feel empowered by the universal message Chitra and Sophie have created. Having said that, this is an important book for everybody to read and discuss be that at home or in the classroom.

Buck & Ears Pirate Detectives

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Buck & Ears Pirate Detectives
Jennifer Bell, illustrated by Sarah Horne
Walker Books

As this story begins Buck and loyal leporine Ears, have been dubbed the worst pirates ever by some members of the gull fraternity and are already deciding that their career as pirates is over. Now they’ve headed to Scuttleflint Bay and are perusing the place for alternative occupations when they hear the sound of crying. It turns out to be Captain Bloodfang, reputed to be the most fearful pirate on the Seventy Seas; but fearful pirates are not supposed to shed tears over the lack of a letter from a best friend, Valentina, and certainly not get caught so doing.

Rather than lose their lives, Ears announces that she and Buck are professional pirate detectives willing to search for Valentina and Bloodfang agrees to hire them but gives them just three days to find her. Ears hears that the missing friend is none other than the famous mermaid chef, Valentina Vermicelli. The detectives strike a deal, acquire a ramshackle ship and advertise for crew and thus the Case of the Missing Mer-chef is launched.

Their first hirings as crew members are Huggable Pete (a prickly porcupine), and Priscilla Fontaine, both lacking experience; then comes Apprentice Professor Darwin Montgomery (Darwin for short) who volunteers to navigate but is unable to swim. They set sail and after an eventful trip, catch sigh of Valentina’s restaurant. Before long Buck and Ears are speaking to the assistant head chef of the establishment (a lobster) who tells them that Valentina went off in search of a secret ingredient and hasn’t been seen since. Time is running out before Buck and Ears become pirate stew.

Can the two, aided and abetted by Pete, Darwin and Priscilla, follow the clues, find Valentina and save their own lives to become the only pirate detectives sailing the Seventy Seas?

With a cracking Agatha Fishy crew that are at once lovable and very funny, and a narrative that will have readers giggling throughout, Jennifer Bell has written a smashing read for those who love high drama, detective work and humour, made all the more fn by Sarah Horne’s illustrations of the cast, especially Huggable Pete with those marshmallows on his spines.

Greek Boy

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Greek Boy
Tony Bradman
Walker Books

This latest story in the “Boy’ series begins in BCE 481 and centres around Nikos. The boy has just encountered his father, Kleon, back from a trip. Kleon is not happy with the fact that his son hasn’t kept up with his studies, nor shown an interest in how the society he belongs to actually works. Having decided to do better, Nikos takes on the role of man of the house, taking care of his mother and sisters when his father leaves once more. But then his father is accused of being a ‘Medizer’ a traitor who has betrayed the Athenians to their enemy, the Persians who are threatening to invade. However Nikos and the rest of his family are also dubbed as traitors and he agrees to accept help from Themistokles, a friend of his father, who offers his country house as a safe place for the rest of his family.

He meanwhile intends to do all he can to prove his father’s and his own loyalty to the city state. Thus he signs up to become a marine in the Greek Navy and ten days later he’s off in The Sea Serpent, destination Artemisium, the Hot Gates and thence into the middle of the fighting; and pretty brutal it proves to be.

Nikos is told he should be proud of himself: can he do enough to save not only himself but his loved ones, father included, from the threat of execution, especially when he learns of Themistokles’s betrayals?

A thoroughly captivating story with themes of loyalty, treachery and betrayal, a wealth of memorable details and some splendid black and white illustrations by Alessandro Valdrighi, as well as a historical note at the end. Highly recommended for Y4 readers and beyond.

Mighty Mega Pets: Freaky Food Fiasco!

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Mighty Mega Pets: Freaky Food Fiasco!
Gary Northfield,
Walker Books

A deliciously silly graphic novel that begins with a group of pets – Daisy the dog, Ginger the cat, Bubbles the goldfish and Arthur the tortoise eating their breakfast as usual when all of a sudden BOOM, they all (except Tortoise) acquire strange superpowers, thanks to a firing of laser beams from the next door moggy. So they form the Mighty Mega Pets, intent on discovering a) why they all got these powers b) whether other pets have also been similarly affected and c) the source of the so- called superpower pet food.

Meanwhile on the other side of Rumford inside a mysterious laboratory is Guinea Big – a guinea pig with huge ideas about himself and his experiments and his eyes set on world domination, no less. While he’s working on his enterprise, The Mighty Mega Pets have gained entry to Pete’s Pets shop. Wow! It appears to have the food they seek but there’s a problem with a parrot to contend with. There’s a surprise for the Mega Pets team as it’s Tortoise who they reluctantly allowed to act as their lookout, who discovers a buckle that could well have belonged to one of the Ruffians. Daisy thinks they are the likely ones behind the super-powered food. A recruitment drive for new Mega Pets members ensues as time is running out to … save the world! Possible or not?

Well, that would be telling; to find out what ensues, you’ll need (no use of superpowers allowed though) to get hold of your own copy of this crazy story wherein teamwork is essential, as is the ability to stand up to bullies.

You Are Nature, Too / Don’t Call Me An Insect!

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You Are Nature, Too!
Gillian Burke, illustrated by Rong Pham and Nguyen
Walker Books

Even in the busy towns and cities many of us live in there’s a wealth of nature just waiting to be discovered and that is exactly what this book encourages, indeed challenges, youngsters to do.
Author, Gillian Burke (a Springwatch co-presenter and biologist) reminds readers/listeners that rather than being separate from the natural world, we humans are a part of it, no matter where our home is. We join two young boys as they explore their city and discover the wonderful natural world, its sights and sounds – all around them – up in the sky, among the trees, between the paving stones and in other unlikely places.

There’s a wealth of new life, a plethora of animal homes, a multitude of natural patterns and a change in what is visible as the sun goes down and night descends.

The mindful text is calming and really does encourage youngsters to slow down, or perhaps stop and observe what surrounds them. The illustrations are a perfect complement to the verbal message, the seek and find challenge beneath each location spread encourages deeper engagement and the book ends with a spread of activities to try.

Don’t Call Me An INSECT!
Charlotte Guillain and Sally Agar
Words & Pictures

We join young Charlie and Bumble (a bee) as they set out on an insect search hoping to find a creature they’ve not seen before. Pretty soon they make their first discovery Charlie learns her first lesson: the minibeast with eight legs sitting on a web is not an insect but an arachnid (the factual explanation is given). Leaving the shed and moving outside they encounter another new creature – again not an insect. This one is a centipede. Further hunting leads to finding several other creepy crawlies – a woodlouse, a millipede and a scorpion but not one insect until at last among the trees they spot several. But how should they classify the caterpillar? It doesn’t quite fit the bill of having ‘three body parts, six legs, a tough exoskeleton’ and maybe wings; it’s time to find out about the life cycle of a butterfly.

With its rhyming narrative and straightforward information pages, this story cum fact book is just right for very young children who will enjoy Sally Agar’s gently humorous illustrations as well as participating in the learning process along with Charlie and Bumble.

Rafi and Rita

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Rafi and Rita
Jarvis and Chris Judge
Walker Books

Meet twin giraffes, Rafi and Rita: likers of the same things and doers of the same things. In fact they’re exactly the same in every possible way. Or are they? Rafi insists he’s taller but so does Rita. To viewers probably the only slight difference is the shape of their markings. Both back up their claim with boastings – “I’m so tall those animals down here look like bugs” says Rafi.” “They are bugs,” Rita retorts, but the boasts grow ever more crazy. “I’m so tall that when an artist tried to do a portrait of me, they ran out of paint.” That’s Rafi’s claim which Rita counters with , “… when my hat fell off, it took three hours to hit the ground.” “I wear clouds as hats. That’s how tall I am. Clouds,” says Rafi and so on.

After Rita talks about feeling traumatised by almost being hit on the head by a shooting star, Rafi writes a song about his superior height.

Suddenly their bragging contest is interrupted by Mama giraffe: she’s come to put them to bed. Calling them, “Little ones” does not go down at all well and is immediately denied by both twins, who are yet to have learned about perspective. However, Mama then says something else, something that will likely set off another round of sibling rivalry and so it will go on and on and …

Readers and listeners will delight in this hilarious verbal wrangling written by Jarvis, and love the final twist. The text is made even funnier when set among Chris Judge’s wonderfully expressive, bold, bright scenes, some of which need the book to be turned through ninety degrees, so tall are the tales they are depicting.

Sockflea

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Sockflea
Laura Dockrill and Eva Byrne
Walker Books

The story’s young (five year old) elephant narrator is super excited: “We are going camping. I’ve never been before. I. CAN’T. WAIT. Marshmallows on sticks. Singing by the campfire! And sleeping under the stars!”

The little elephant’s parent suggests taking a teddybear along but the exuberant little pachyderm insists that no comfort toy is necessary; no Mr Conkie, Gladys the hedgehog, Sugarpie and most definitely not Bad Debbie. So off they go into the wilds.
To begin with all goes well and everything is a great adventure including making new friends.

“I’m like a happy bubble, playful and free” says our narrator. But then comes the night – the dark, dark night; moreover the sleeping bag is sludgy and sweaty, the ground hard beneath one’s back there are scratchy noises and eventually we hear, “WHY DIDN”T YOU MAKE ME BRING MY TEDDIES?”

Fortunately the grown-up is, despite being a tad annoyed, a resourceful carer that just happens to have brought along what looks very like a pair of socks. At first the offering is rejected as “just your normal bobbly, sticky socks!” However scepticism gives way to the unlikely charm of the teddies substitute,

all is well and the camping trip ends up a tremendous success.

I love the ending with a repositioning of the socks and the photo snapshot finale.
Delightfully droll humour from Laura Dockrill’s telling and equally delightful, playful scenes of the drama that unfolds though Eva Byrne’s art make for a book that one envisages becoming a firm favourite with both young children (however brave) and their grown-ups.

Relic Hamilton Genie Hunter: Door of the Dead

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Relic Hamilton Genie Hunter: Door of the Dead
Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Hyun Song We
Walker Books

Relic is now settling into his new genie hunter role and while out with some fellow members of the Hermitic Sodality, Buston a genie appears, saying that he’s been searching for him. He warns Relic that Ravenna has discovered the whereabouts of the lamp imprisoning the Archivist, an ally of the evil genie. Made to look like a book and hidden in a library it is hoped that nobody will discover it and start making wishes. Such wishes might result in the Archivist’s escape, the result being an immensely powerful ally for Ravenna. Consequently, it’s vital that Relic and the other humans locate this book-lamp before Ravenna.

Following the accidental release of the Archivist, the Sodality focus attention on recapturing the genie. However members of the Syndicate of Ghost Emancipators approach, informing them that the Archivist intends to Open the Door of the Dead using the granting of people’s wishes to do so thus allowing those who have died to return to the world. Relic and members of both Sodality and the Syndicate will need to work together to recapture both evil genies, if not disaster will likely follow.

Relic has become much more confident in his abilities since he discovered his genie hunter and Wielder of the Lamps role, something which allows him to work alongside the sprites that are held with the six lamps he owns; but faced with the threats posed by not one but two evil genies, can he cope with the much greater danger and problems he now faces? Can Relic and those of the two organisations work together to recapture both of them, and what will happen if they can’t?

Another element of the story is Relic’s awareness that Tanya is still missing. He is keen to try and find her but isn’t given the opportunity here, though readers hear from her occasionally during this book, paving the way for the next, which is heralded by a promise of Relic’s return at the end. With plenty of black and white illustrations, I strongly recommended the thrilling Door of the Dead for readers of nine and above.

Bear and Bird: The Cloud

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Bear and Bird: The Cloud
Jarvis
Walker Books

This is essentially a prequel to the Bear and Bird short story books and it begins with Bear being a newcomer to Woody Wood Forest where he’s searching for a friend. However, it appears that all the other forest dwellers already have someone, which makes Bear feel sad. However, suddenly he hears a small voice saying “… My name is Bird and I’m looking for something. I wonder if you’ve seen it?” Bird is on a quest for the illusive Puffy Fluffy Octopus Cloud and although Bear has not seen what Bird seeks, he knows this is a chance for him to find the friend he desires.

The two join forces with Bear suggesting various ideas that might help Bird. Together they read a book about clouds,

share a storybook and even organise an octopus party. Thus the cloud search turns into a connection undertaking. Could it be that eventually they’ll discover something far more wonderful than the elusive cloud?

Full of warmth, tenderness and subtle humour, this is a story of yearning for friendship and belonging that young children will relate to while enjoying the adventures the two characters share. Jarvis’s illustrations with their playful details, depictions of Bear and Bird’s expressions and body language, and the pastel colours are a delight and both children and adults will want to spend time enjoying each and every page.

A book to share and talk about both at home and in preschool/ KS1 classrooms.

The Elementals: Wanzu Sets Sail / Marty Moose: The Great Stamp-ede

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The Elementals: Wanzu Sets Sail
Love SSega, illustrated by Erika Meza
Little Tiger

Eight year old Wanzu lives on Sealand with his wise grandma, Jjajja. Every child on this island is linked to one of the elements: air, earth, fire, water but whereas all his friends have found their powers, Wanzu hasn’t. Then one day he notices that his grandma is worried. It’s on account of the unsettled weather and unusually high tides. Out on his raft he starts playing his harp and singing, when a dolphin appears. Mr Dolphin has a message for Wanzu’s Jjajja about the rising waters and an impending storm. The dolphin adds that Wanzu has an important role to play.

It’s not long before he finds himself leading a perilous rescue mission, travelling by sea, that takes him and his friends on a hazardous journey away from the island. They travel to such magical places as Taiaroa Heights where they meet some helpful albatrosses and Beaver Island where they learn useful things, all the while working (and sometimes singing) together to solve the problems they encounter. Can they find a way to prevent the water from rising? Will Wanzu discover his element during the adventure and if so what is it?

Teamwork is key in this unusual story and there’s an important environmental message about managing the waterways, not only for the present but also for future generations. Recommended for readers around Wanzu’s age who are taking off as solo readers.

Marty Moose: The Great Stamp-ede
Claire Powell
Walker Books

This is a very funny follow-up, or should we say chase-up to First Class Mischief starring a Postmouse and his sidekick Nibbles. On any normal day Marty would be setting off on his round but today is not a normal day. It’s the annual Fastest Feathers Race, a strictly birds only event. Little Ditch’s post office is closed. Excitement is extra high as the prize this year is a golden egg, with Betty Beaker the absolute favourite.

With a large number of Little Ditchers gathered on the sidelines, Hurricane Honk official race judge, approaches Marty in a bit of a bother. He hasn’t received the golden egg (apparently he’d gone for a quick quiff and missed the delivery. He asks Marty to retrieve the prize and get it back to the finishing line before the end of the race. ‘Panicking postbags’ thinks the mouse but agrees to go.

Off he sets with loyal Nibbles on a madcap chase that entails navigating a dangerously shaking tree – THUNK, TWACK, negotiating a foggy forest, a set to with a pair of dastardly ducks that aren’t really ducks at all but ferret bandits, hitching a ride on Tank the bull and a surprising prize for the winner.…

A ridiculous romp that races along (in places) with highly dramatic illustrations; it will have readers wriggling on their rears.

The Street Art Mystery / You vs The Poison Plot

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The Street Art Mystery
Sharna Jackson
Puffin

It’s nearly the end of the holidays and Margot (narrator), Wesley and Josephine have planned an exciting weekend before they start secondary school. Nothing they insist, will get in the way of their plans in London; it’s going to be a big adventure. However, when they’re staying in Notting Hill with Margot’s mum and her new boyfriend, Teddy, something happens that they can’t possibly ignore. The three children follow clues across West London on the trail, they hope, of a very creative murderer and also some amazing street art.
From skate parks and tower blocks to canal towpaths, their investigations take them to the Notting Hill Carnival where they become part of a float. Can the three connect up all the bits of evidence in time to solve this mystery?

I’d not read Sharna’s previous novel but I certainly will do so now and I recommend that readers around the age of Margot, Wesley and Josephine read this twisting, turning story.

You vs The Poison Plot
Josh Hicks
Walker Books

It’s up to the reader to decide how this, the first instalment in the author’s new interactive mystery series unfolds. On the eve of the school talent show (the biggest event of the year) the drama teacher, Mr Rosso collapses suddenly – poisoned maybe?
You the reader, as the school newspaper’s main investigative journalist and editor, must crack the case. You’ll need to make the right decisions, decide who to interview, what evidence you collect, where you explore, watch out for red herrings and eventually unravel the mystery before tomorrow’s show.

With a wealth of clues to follow, characters to profile and avenues to take, humour that prevents things getting too heavy, as well as lots of black and white illustrations, many acting as puzzles or clues. this book is just right for fans of graphic novels and comics, especially murder mysteries and choose your own adventure stories. Prepare to be gripped from the outset.

Big Bear is Coming!

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Big Bear is Coming!
Anuska Allepuz
Walker Books

In the heart of the forest lives a family of four bear cubs and at sunset, their senses alert, they hear ‘shuffle-shuffling, scratch-scratching, stamp-stomping’ and a low sounding “GRRRRRR!” Surely that signifies Big Bear is coming. Down to the river to hide scramble the cubs and jump, jump across the stones, thinking they are safe. Wait though; they smell ‘fishy breath, a very stinky bottom and the strong stench of wet. soggy fur’. That must certainly mean BIG BEAR is coming!

Up the rocks they scamper and then down the hill they roll. Now there’s no sound of Big Bear and no smell of Big Bear but just to be on the safe side, so they can spy Big Bear’s lumbering approach, they climb up to the top of a tree. There they spy a scary creature with large staring eyes, a sharp beak and they hear “TWIT-TWOO!” It must be a monster, but what? Down jump the cubs, down, down to where something big and soft cushions their landing and helps save the day.

Part of the fun for young listeners is that to begin with Big Bear is a shadowy being but little by little as the tale progresses he becomes visible. Perhaps the observant among them will guess the true identity of Big Bear.

Anuska Allepuza’s green, purple and blue hues really bring the forest to life and little humans will love joining in and shouting the repeat refrain. This tale is great fun, full of suspense and contains a gentle life lesson: use all your senses when trying to interpret what is going on around you. I envisage repeat reading being demanded by young audiences.

Where Are You, Eddie?

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Where Are You, Eddie?
Michael Rosen and Gill Smith
Walker Books

Michael Rosen has already given us the Sad Book about the loss of his son Eddie and now he’s written another picture book wherein having asked himself, “Where are you, Eddie? Are you here?” he talks to the cat, Meg, about his feelings.

To begin with the author feels that Eddie is not coming back. He’s not anywhere. “Is that the end?” he asks Meg. Meg’s response sends him out and onto a bus where he sits and thinks. He thinks about how Eddie wriggled on bus rides and played a special tickling game. “Are you there, Eddie” asks the author. He’s not there physically on the bus, nor is he tossing chips and catching them in his mouth as they walk along past the fish shop. He’s not being mischievous on school photo day, nor playing goalie in the hockey game, not building sandcastles on the beach with his siblings, nor playing a trick with the cat food.

However, the boy’s father sees that because he is remembered and loved by everyone who knew him (and still is to this day), Eddie is still with him.

Essentially, then, rather than a loss or an ending, this is a special way to keep a loved one forever close. This is a deeply profound book about grieving and remembering that will likely bring tears to your eyes, so make sure you have a box of tissues to hand. Your loved one has left things in the world as a message that says, I’m no longer visibly there but I will always be there for you, in your mind and your heart. Gill Smith captures sadness and happiness both, in her touching scenes of the special memories.

This is a book to share with all children not just those who may have lost a loved one.

The World’s Worst Alien Fights Back

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The World’s Worst Alien Fights Back
Alice Primmer, illustrated by Fred Blunt
Walker Books

Having created planet Earth for a school project, eleven year old Sky left it with a lot of problems – war, climate change, corruption and more. Now though, she must revisit Earth and clear up the mess so that she can get a pass grade from her teacher.

No easy task as she has only a day (3 weeks in Earth time) but at least she has one friend, Zana Jackson, on Earth, and so it’s to Zana’s bedroom that she returns, only to find her fast asleep. Four hours later though. both girls are awake and ready for school. Once there she receives a somewhat hostile welcome from the head teacher but Zana smooths things over.

After school that day Sky accompanies Zana and some others to a cricket match against another school, one that turns into a fight.

Before long, despite getting clonked on the head by a ball, Sky finds herself with an apology to make and several fights to stop.

However, one fight leads to another. So, what about a peace-making plan instead? Hmm! Several more fights later, Zana suggests apologies followed by peace talks. Could this be the answer? Or would pillow fighting be better?

Bursting with humour, added to by Fred Blunt’s black and white illustrations, this second story in the series is a great read for those gaining confidence as solo readers as well as a fun read aloud for KS1 classes.

100 Goats and Granny!

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100 Goats and Granny!
Atinuke and Lauren Hinds
Walker Books

‘Granny’s got a goat! / Granny’s got a goat! // Not 1, not 2, not 3, /not 4, But more and more / and more and more!’ Granny is sitting on a crate with laundry drying on the line behind her as she looks benevolently at a little white goat. However, every turn of the page reveals more goats engaging in mischief of one kind or another until 99 goats grace the spread, several of which are shown pooing while others cavort on roofs, clamber up trees, chew the pages of books and more: ’20, 30, 40, 50 … / 60, 70, 80, 90 … // Till 99 …’ we read. Where though is Granny’s goat? Imagine what ensues when Granny digs in the garden, visits the tailor, spends a day at church. Moreover on the return journey, one stays on the bus having a great time beeping the driver’s horn; another visits the salon for a trim,

the baby ones chew the aunties’ panties and one takes it upon himself to guzzle whatever he feels like. Where will all this end?

At round up time where will Granny’s 100th goat be and what might it be up to? A considerable bit of mischief somewhere in the town,

but will it ever be caught and if so, who will be the catcher?

With Atinuke’s playful, rollicking text that cries out for young listeners to join in, and Lauren Hinds’s highly detailed, exuberant scenes both large and small, this book is an absolute delight to share with a pre-school/KS1 class or group. It’s glorious goatish gleefulness.

Sticky Mildred

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Sticky Mildred
Alastair Chisholm and Rikin Parekh
Walker Books

Mildred Honeyfur is a creator of chaos of the messy kind. She absolutely loves sticky things such as pond slime, glue and purple goo and she loves being sticky all over. However, she absolutely loathes having a bath. Despite her despairing parents, Mildred sets off to look for the stickiest thing in the whole world

and it’s not so long before having declared herself the stickiest creature in the world, her sticky trail is so huge that arriving at the top of a hill, she trips and tumbles all the way back down – what ‘a big sticky, runaway ball’ she has become. Unstoppable rolling Mildred passes a jelly shop, a glue factory and a glittery quarry as she heads straight for the cliff edge where she grabs a tree and clings on for all she’s worth, stretching and stretching until …

What happens thereafter turns out to be a surprise, one which causes Mildred to feel somewhat different about stickiness. Young listeners however, will be in for an altogether different surprise on the final page.

Rikin Parekh portrays the chaos caused by Mildred brilliantly in his detailed, sometimes scribbly style illustrations and Alastair Chisholm’s slightly surreal telling that sometimes breaks into rhyme is a cautionary tale of the adhesive kind that could just coerce young listeners into having regular baths and enjoying so doing. A really fun read aloud.

Rising: A Shabbat Baking Story

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Rising: A Shabbat Baking Story
Sidura Ludwig and Sophia Vincent Guy
Walker Books

An expectant mother – Ima – and her young child wake up early and begin preparing to make challah for the sabbath. Mum has a bowl of yeast bubbling in the warm water into which the child stirs the ingredients and they then knead the wet, sticky dough forming it eventually into a large round, shiny ball. They place a towel over the bowl and wait while it rises. Then it’s time to divide the dough into six parts, roll them like snakes and interweave them into two challah loaves. Once cooked they’re left too cool allowing time for family members to get ready to honour Shabbat.

All the family then sit together to eat but first they bless the candles, say a blessing and share the challah: ‘We add a sprinkle of salt for the times we’ve cried, sometimes a dab of honey for the sweet times to come.’

One sweet time is coming soon for on the final spread we see a new baby in its mother’s arms as the sibling and father prepare to make challah.

Yes, this book is about making challah and the rituals surrounding it, but it’s also about family, love and the beauty of taking time to rest. Sophia Vincent Guy’s mixed media illustrations in pastel shades are perfectly in-keeping with the gentle lyrical nature of Sidura Ludwig’s narrative. The author includes a recipe for challah and a glossary of Hebrew terms after the story.
A book that should definitely find a place in primary school collections.

The Good Deed Dogs

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The Good Deed Dogs
Emma Chichester Clark
Walker Books

Bodger, Billy and Betty are very good dogs, always eager to do good deeds: they’re constantly looking out for those who might be in need of help.

First they decide to help an old lady carry her shopping. However they end up scattering the contents of her bags all over the place because she keeps a firm hold of the bag handles. Fortunately she takes it in good heart and requests that they clear up the chaos they’ve created. Later the same day their efforts to assist a man on a ladder watering hanging baskets also has calamitous results and same is true of their attempts to help a girl hanging out washing. Both the man and the girl merely ask the pooches to clear up after themselves.

At the end of the day as a thoroughly despondent Bodger, Billy and Betty make their way home there comes a loud scream for help coming from the direction of the river. On the bank stands a little girl pointing to where a kitten in a saucepan is bobbing up and down in the water. Without a moment’s hesitation in dive the dogs with an almighty SPLASH! What will be the outcome of their efforts now?

The repetition element works really well and young listeners will love joining in with “We’re here to help!” and “Leave it to us! and shouting CALAMITY at each disaster but it’s Emma’s dramatic, detailed illustrations that really steal the show. A real winner this.

The Man Who Wore All His Clothes

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The Man Who Wore All His Clothes
Allan Ahlberg, illustrated by Katharine McEwen
Walker Books

The Gaskitts are a pretty normal family. Mr Gaskitt gets up in the morning, dons three pairs of socks, three vests, three pairs of pants, three shirts and two pairs of trousers and four jumpers plus a tie. After breakfast he adds four coats, After that, this very bulky person heads outside, squeezes into his car and as the snow starts falling, off he goes.

At school Gus and Gloria’s usual teacher has had a fall and is replaced by a rather out of practice curmudgeonly supply teacher who has it in for the siblings.

By this time, Mrs Gaskitt, who drives a taxi, has picked up a suspicious-looking character who left the bank in a hurry carrying a large bag. And so it goes on with all manner of craziness until eventually the robber is apprehended, in no small way thanks to Mr G. who eventually drives off to be Santa in a department store. Oh and I forgot to mention Horace, the Gaskitt’s cat who’s fond of comfy chairs from where to watch movies and cat food ads.

All this unfolds in eleven short chapters after which there are a further three action-packed stories about the family to laugh over: The Woman Who Won Things, The Cat Who Got Carried Away and The Children Who Smelled A Rat.

Perfect for new solo readers and equally great for reading aloud but adult readers aloud, make sure you let listeners see Katharine McEwen’s liberal scattering of black and white illustrations that add even more humour.

Seven Babies

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Seven Babies Forest Xiao Walker Books

One Thursday morning there’s a ring at the bell of number 14 and a box of seven babies appears – self-delivered one supposes.

A man and woman open the door looking somewhat bemused and invite the infants in. The babies quickly make themselves at home and for the reminder of the day, enjoy themselves. They play in the park, take a bath together and do some quiet investigating.

They help with hanging out the clothes on the washing line and come the end of the day, they snuggle up with their hosts to share the storybook they’d brought with them.

The exhausted couple then fall fast asleep and the exuberant babies depart with their box plus a few items they’ve appropriated – a sock, the woman’s sleeping mask, and the man’s spectacles. With them too are the ladybird (this can be spotted on every spread) and the seven little peas in a pod book that that came with them. The story concludes with a question for readers/listeners, ‘What will they do next?’ – A great opportunity for children to do their own creative storying about the adorable babes.

With a minimal text and scenes that are bursting with gentle humour, this light-hearted, playful tale is irresistible and certain to be requested over and over by little humans slightly older than those endearing visiting babies.

Hot Food: Nice!

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Hot Food: Nice!
Michael Rosen and Neal Layton
Walker Books

This is Michael Rosen’s hugely popular poem ‘Hot Food’ to which a prelude has been added wherein the narrator tells readers, “When I was a boy I thought my dad knew everything.’ However the day dawns when a discovery destroys that belief. This is what happens: It’s dinner time and the family – mum, dad, the narrator and his brother are sitting around the kitchen table, plates piled high with dinner. It’s evident to the narrator that the potato’s a tad on the hot side and so with just a small amount on his fork, he blows on it – whooph whooph – ‘until it’s cool, / just cool, / then into the mouth: nice!’ His brother and mum do a similar thing. Dad however acts, let’s say, rather rashly. Into his mouth goes a large amount of potato:

YIKES! You can almost feel the skin inside his mouth blistering in Neal Layton’s scene of Dad as he flaps his hands, blows and puffs and a whole lot more until he ejects the potato in small pieces back onto his plate. His family are obviously dumbfounded, perhaps even more so when he states, “Watch out everybody – the potato’s very hot.”

A paragraph from the publisher at the back of the book includes a couple of amusing facts concerning ‘nice’ the meme in both China and the USA.

Neal Layton’s illustrations capture the potato incident splendidly so it becomes a scrumptious slapstick visual story too, full of fantastic facial expressions. A unmissable read aloud for class and family sharing.

Snow

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Snow
Meera Trehan
Walker Books

This story is set in Mistmir, a kingdom which is empty save for the Princess Karina who spends all her time digging Snow. This snow is not the ordinary precipitation, rather it has been scientifically modified to be self-replenishing in response to her wish for ‘perfect’ snow on her thirteenth birthday. As a consequence the Princess has been continually labouring and now she and her father, the King, are the only ones who haven’t fled.

One day as she shovels, the Princess discovers her precious fluttery toy, made by the strangers who created the Snow. A sign of hope surely, but before she’s been able to show her father, she encounters a girl, Ela, who has accidentally entered Mistmir from our world. Ela can hardly believe that this is the Princess from the Snow Princess book that her mother used to read to her every night.

Princess Karina realises that the unexpected visitor is key to saving Mistmir and invites Ela to her castle. Ela travels with Karina, hoping that she will discover the truth that lies behind the Book and the strange mental memory-like images it conjured. As they travel on the look out for menacing hounds on the prowl, the girls form a bond of friendship and work together to find answers and save the snow-immersed kingdom.

Combining magic and science, Meera Trehan has crafted a story with themes of loneliness, belonging and forgiveness that is perfect for the chilly winter months. The world building is throughly convincing and the climax of the tale satisfying. Altogether a thoroughly enjoyable, haunting read.

Molly, Olive and Dexter: Who’s Afraid of the Dark?

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Molly, Olive and Dexter: Who’s Afraid of the Dark?
Catherine Rayner
Walker Books

Friends Molly the hare, Dexter the fox and Olive the owl return in a tale of nighttime nerves. It begins with the three enjoying watching the sun setting, but as darkness descends, Molly hears a rustling sound that troubles her. It’s only Dexter cleaning his whiskers. Next Dexter feels something brushing against him and before long, Olive too is spooked though it’s merely shadow shapes. (They are made by Molly’s long leporine ears.)

Then comes rain whooshing down accompanied by thunder – another alarming experience – but eventually the friends realise that their sensory experiences are created by harmless things. The story ends with the three woodland pals enjoying something together before resting beneath their massive oak tree at the forest edge.

Young children too have night-time fears and this fun picture book, with Catherine Rayner’s watercolour scenes where the friends’ expressions – Molly’s in particular – show superbly their growing panic as the tale progresses, is perfect for sharing as a pre bedtime tale.

Molly, Dexter and Olive are endearing characters and their evening episode is ultimately reassuring. Add this book to early years collections and family bookshelves where there are young children.

Small Wonder

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Small Wonder
Ross Montgomery
Walker Books

Tick, who is ten and his younger brother Leaf, (fivish) were cared for by their grandfather in a cottage on the farthest edge of the forest until he died. Thus far their life had been peaceful but then a fleet of black-sailed ships appeared on the horizon – the Drene warships – and what Tick calls a Hunter is on the prowl: it’s time to leave, destination the King’s Keep.Grandfather had warned that this day might come and now they have just six moons to reach the mighty fortress built by the previous ruler, Good King Avery, before the drawbridge is pulled up.

Readers follow the boys’ journey on their trusty steed, a dapple grey mare, Pebble, as they flee from all they’ve known. A terrifying and testing journey it truly is, full of adventure and with only a rough idea of how to reach King’s Keep, they travel through forest, grassland and around mountains. There’s snow to contend with, bandits, strangers who may not be what they seem, and more; but all the while Tick has in mind that he must honour his Grandfather’s last words,”If you have one chance, then you have to make it count.”

Can they both reach their destination in time or will the Hunter or the snow get them first? Assuredly it will take all Tick’s determination and courage, but eventually arrive, they do, in no small measure thanks to Pebble. By the time they get to the Keep, Tick has learned more than he ever imagined possible and is ready to face whatever comes next.

With the twist at the end, this is a truly brilliant adventure story, Ross’s best yet in my book. Thoroughly recommended for older readers and it would make a terrific read aloud to share with an upper KS2 class.

Beastopia

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Beastopia
Chrissie Sains, illustrated by Jenny Taylor
Walker Books

Digby Griffin is devoted to his pet mouse, Cheddar, and has been ever since he discovered her making a nest in his sock drawer. However as Digby’s tenth birthday is fast approaching he is troubled by the thought of The Curse of the Tenth Birthday -that’s the day on which Cheddar will be struck and disappear just like Digby’s elder brother’s budgie and his older sister Mog’s snake. Determined to keep Cheddar safe, Digby decides to stay up all night on his tenth birthday eve and also invites his best friend Tai for a ‘sleepover’ or rather a ‘watchover’.

Suddenly Grandad calls from downstairs asking for assistance. Digby is surprised to see him standing in a smoke filled kitchen clutching what appears to be a duck-billed platypus. This, Grandad thrusts into Digby’s hands as he attempts to deal with the cake mess in the oven. However the creature wriggles free and disappears into the basement. Aware it’s not the first animal to have done so, Digby is puzzled about what happens to them and decides to investigate sometime later.

That happens during the sleepover when a small present and a note are left in his bedroom. The present is a simple phone on which are two messages. As he reads them, Cheddar starts wriggling, then disappears downstairs and seemingly into the washing machine wherein Digby is sure he sees a tunnel – a portal, he suggests. Grandad appears on the scene and thus begins for Digby, Mog and Tai an entry test to become apprentice guardians of Beastopia. Beastopia, Grandad tells them is a sanctuary for magical creatures who can no longer hide in the human world, and he is the guardian.

After a strange journey, Grandad finds Mani, (a kind of walking book) that’s to watch over them, then leaves the recruits and heads off on a mission concerning the Loch Ness Monster.
The trio must then face three challenges as part of their assessment. the first being to collect dragon smoke. The second is to harness a basilisk, the third is to feed the fairies and keep them contained; but these fairies are of the troublesome kind and have an unusual diet …

Can Digby, Mog and Tai possibly succeed in all three challenges and thus become apprentices; several times the odds are stacked against them and nothing is as it seems … They’ll certainly learn more about themselves.

The book ends on a lead in to the next adventure for Digby et al, Beastopia The Ice Phoenix.
Exciting reading for young readers who love adventures involving animals and magic, with humorous illustrations by Jenny Taylor adding to the fun.

Tomorrow’s Ghost

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Tomorrow’s Ghost
Tanya Landman
Walker Books

It’s the summer of 1976 and twelve year old Anna who is living with her Aunt Maggie, is to go and stay with Auntie Em, recently retired and moved into an isolated cottage in the countryside. Aunt Em tripped and fell over her new dog while the two were out walking, has badly sprained her ankle, is hardly able to walk and needs help. As a consequence, Anna packs a bag and sets off to somewhere she’s never been to stay with someone she barely knows: not a happy prospect, spending the summer far from her friends. However Peartree Cottage is a welcoming place and Anna likes her room.

Soon she starts having vivid dreams about a girl from 1919. The girl, Etty, lives with her harsh, unloving grandfather in a mansion surrounded by statues. This house, steeped in sadness, seemed to be calling to Anna. After five dreams, each more vivid, she is determined to find out what happened to Etty, even if it means telling lies about where she’s been to Aunt Em. Later on Colin from the village shop offers to take Anna swimming and strangely she finds herself being irritated by this.

Then at the library she learns from the librarian, of a terrible fire that destroyed much of Featherstone Manor with almost everyone getting out safely. But what of Lady Henrietta, who was twelve at the time? The only way Anna has a chance of saving her from a terrible and untimely demise is to find a way to communicate with her. A mirror she’d seen in Etty’s bedroom, perhaps …

Gripping, haunting and powerfully atmospheric, this story will have readers on edge until the final chapter reveal. I read it in a day, so bound up in the fate of both Etty and Anna had I become.

Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Causing Chaos

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Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Causing Chaos
Louie Stowell
Walker Books

In Loki’s latest month of diary entries, each one begins with a Loki Virtue Score card (virtue points are awarded for good deeds and taken away when as Loki says, ‘I do anything fun’.) This month we find Loki behaving in a very strange way and unusually it’s not for the most part of his own volition.

When newly appointed guardian, Freya, turns up, she’s wearing a necklace, one with magical powers and pretty soon things start turning chaotic. Friends Valerie and Georgina suddenly become enemies, Heimdall intends declaring his love for one of the teachers, Mrs Wiliams, The Giants suddenly love Thor and vice-versa, and Loki’s sworn enemy, Vinir, follows him everywhere offering him gifts and an invitation. Then Loki wonders if perhaps he does now like his new admirer after all. All the while Loki is endeavouring to break whatever spell is causing the chaos.

My head was spinning by the time I got to the end of this only to find the words, ‘TO BE CONTINUED … ’
Hilarity rules in this fifth story and it’s made even funnier by the liberal sprinkling of Louie Stowell’s drawings. Older primary readers will, like this reviewer, giggle their way from Day One where we see a drippy nosed Loki saying, ‘I card breade!’

Time Travel is NOT My Superpower / The Appletree Animal Agency Collie Chaos

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Time Travel is NOT My Superpower
Nathanael Lessore, illustrated by Simran Diamond Singh
Little Tiger

Sara, the young narrator of the second story set in the town of Walsham where special powers are part of everyday life, is working on improving her recently discovered superpower – teleporting. Thus far she is able to teleport herself but is unable to take any objects with her. However trouble starts when she accidentally teleports not only herself but her best friends, Georgie and Javier, as well as Jock her arch enemy, back in time to 2002. It’s crucial that they don’t interact with anybody, so nothing in the future is changed. However how is that possible when you find you’re at someone’s birthday party, a boy called Herman, someone that you don’t know. They eventually get away though, back to the present day, or is it? If it is, then why is Sara’s Mum wearing flip-flops and her Dad dressed in a parking warden’s uniform? They’re supposed to be superheroes. And as for being fed Brussels sprouts – don’t even mention the F__T word.

Something definitely is wrong, so how will Sara get herself and her companions in this muddle back into their proper universe.

With giggles aplenty both verbal and visual, this will go down well with KS2 readers who enjoy crazy adventures.

The Appletree Animal Agency Collie Chaos
Katya Balen, illustrated by Gill Smith
Walker Books

It’s winter and we’re back in the village of Mossdale where Appletree Agency have three new clients on their list – Algernon, a ten year old terrapin, Crumpet, a cat that’s something of a diva, and Domino, a dog with three legs. Domino is allocated to Mrs MacDonald but it’s not long before he escapes. The team load up with pet supplies, a compass, snacks and other useful equipment and off they set into the snow: Appletree Agency on the case.

They decide to follow a trail of threepaw prints and thanks to Luca, eventually track Domino down in a field belonging to the curmudgeonly farmer they’d already had a run it with. The dog makes it clear that the children should follow him and he leads them to discover a boy they’d seen earlier but now he’s injured.

Eventually having taken him to safety, the Appletree team learn that the boy, Finn, is staying with his grandpa, the very farmer they’d upset. Moreover he’s an animal lover. Finn was eager for a pet of his own and with Domino forming a bond with him it felt almost like he had one. Then the Appletree Agency members have an idea, an idea that will make everybody happy. But that’s not quite the end of this story …

A wonderfully heart-warming adventure that is perfect for pet lovers who like a touch of humour as well as passion in their stories.

Fear Files: Hide and Seek

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Fear Files: Hide and Seek
Christopher Edge
Walker Books

Based on the Darkive (a secret database filled with testimony recovered from survivors of inexplicable phenomena), this story is really going to get your adrenalin pumping. From the outset readers discover that this is to be a Level 4 Rated File ie it’s in the ‘Beyond Fear’ category.

Sol and Adam (from whose viewpoint the story is told) are spending the weekend on a camping trip. Adam is not at all happy with things having expected some degree of luxury and has ended up in a muddy field.

After a restless night, they go exploring and come upon an abandoned ghost town where, against Sol’s wishes, they find themselves involved in a really scary game of hide and seek with rules they don’t know. Soon Adam is desperately searching for his friend among weird statues, uniform clad children and the eerie voice of the “Itter” filling his consciousness. Even so, he must find Sol and get out before the Itter finds him. Seemingly though there’s no end to this game but is it a dream, some sort of trick, Adam’s imagination or a horrific reality?

Full of suspense, this is truly gripping reading with a mix of witness accounts, interviewer notes and black and white illustrations, though I definitely wouldn’t recommend this to the faint-hearted or as a pre bedtime read.

The Bestest Big Brother, Ever

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The Bestest Big Brother, Ever
Ben Mantle
Walker Books

This is told from the viewpoint of Nano, the younger of two brothers. He and Felix are, so he tells readers, best friends who can read one another’s minds and have some ‘super secret code words’. Sometimes though Felix wants some space of his own, something their Mum agrees with after Nano is so upset at finding himself shut out of the treehouse having spoiled the picture Felix has drawn. However the message he gets when trying again to gain entry to the treehouse, ‘ … Now stop copying me. And stop following me. And just leave me alone!’ could’t be clearer.

Off sets Nano to build his own tree house but the one he makes is far from weatherproof. Nano’s shouts for help go unheeded and as a result, Felix has gone from being the bestest big brother to ‘the WORST big brother.’

Off goes Nano to sulk in his bedroom. Then after a while up comes Felix and what he shows Nano is something TOTALLY GRAPE! – convincing him that after all, he is the bestest brother and his best friend – most of the time.

Ben Mantle’s capturing of a common family situation is pitch perfect; told with gentle humour and some wonderfully whimsical wording such as ‘totally grape’ (really great) and ‘fancy-pants umbrella house!’ His scenes of the ups and downs of the relationship are full of fun details including Nano wearing one sock most of the time, two pigeons having a tug of war over a worm and the child-made boils hanging from a tree branch in the garden. Assuredly a story that will resonate with countless families.

Porridge Please!

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Porridge Please!
Laura Mucha and Marc Boutavant
Walker Books

This is a terrific fairy tale spin off featuring a host of favourite characters that visit a little bear who is trying his very best to read the last page of his new book. The poor bear has had a continuous stream of visitors each wanting some of his ‘sumptuous scrumptious porridge’

as the Little Pig calls it when he comes a KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK knocking.

Having kindly fed Goldilocks, Red Riding Hood and three pigs,

Bear’s feeling frazzled when there comes yet another visitor – Granny supposedly – telling a tale of woe. But suddenly a realisation dawns: ‘THAT WASN’T GRANNY. Red Riding Hood said she was eaten by the Big Bad Wolf’. Time for some quick thinking and a clever ploy from Bear.

There’s so much to love about this book: Bear’s problem solving, his love of story books, and the tastiness of porridge: three vital ingredients in Laura Mucha’s telling and Marc Boutavant’s hilarious scenes of of the dramatic events.

In case you’re wondering whether Bear ever did get to read that last page, you’ll have to get your own copy of their book to find out. One thing that is certain though is that young listeners will endorse the READ IT AGAIN! plea on the final endpapers.


Big Thoughts / Some Days I’m the Wind

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Big Thoughts
Laura Dockrill and Ashling Lindsay
Walker Books

We’re all beset with worries from time to time – ‘Big Thoughts’ as the child narrator of this books calls them. Such thoughts can’t be seen by others despite them being loud inside your head. They might be Big Thoughts about the future, the past or perhaps even make-believe (not telling the truth). Moreover the more one tries to ignore such thoughts, the louder and more all embracing they become.

So what can be done to alleviate a very worried mind? One way is to share them with a an older person who has learned some coping strategies. Strategies that can be passed on and will then stay with the sufferer henceforward. Another way is to talk with a friend who has suffered similarly, so neither person feels alone.

Laura Dockrill’s text is such that readers/listeners are made to feel the centre of attention – seen and heard – and together with Ashling Lindsay’s sensitive illustrations and the final spread entitled Tips and Techniques’ make this a very reassuring and helpful book.

Some Days I’m the Wind
Rebecca Gardyn Levington and Dinara Mirtalipova
Barefoot Books

Using metaphors relating to the weather and the natural world, the young narrator of this book tells us how her feelings and emotions can change from day to day or perhaps several times in a single day. “Some days I’m the sun, welcoming, warm /patient, pleasant, fair. // Some days I’m the sun, / stubborn, HOT! / A raging, blazing glare.’

Or, ‘Some days I’m a tree, / flourishing, strong, reaching for the sky/ // Some days I’m a tree / trembling, bare, / bidding leaves goodbye.’

The well chosen, child friendly metaphors combined with the repeat ‘Some days’ of the gently rhythmic text and the vibrant, boldly coloured illustrations, keep readers turning the pages as they, like the narrator come to understand that there are a whole multitude of ways to feel, to act and to be. This is reaffirmed in the final proclamation, “And just like the wind, / or the sun, / or the sea / on some days / I’m some ways, / but all days // I’m me.”

After the child’s narration is a spread entitled “Exploring Our Emotions’ written by a child development specialist. A book to share and talk about at home, or with an EYFS or KS1 class.