Monster Mountains
Marcus Sedgwick
Orion Children's Books (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd )
ISBN: 9781444004861
Monster Mountains
Award-winning author Marcus Sedgwick is writing for younger readers with this series, Elf Girl and Raven Boy.
The heroic (but small) Raven Boy and Elf Girl are on their way to face the Goblin King, who is threatening to destroy their home. They have been chased by a giant, nearly eaten by trolls and biffed by a goat, but now they face their biggest challenge yet. Simon, a wizard, wants to turn them into stone.
Will they manage to outwit Simon? Will they escape the trolls, who still want to eat them? Will they ever stop squabbling long enough to try...?
This story has loads of monsters, a giant rat, lots of magic and some great climbing tricks! Look out for the earlier title, Fright Forest.
Archie's Unbelievably Freaky Week
Andrew Norris
David Fickling Books
ISBN: 9780857560117
Archie's Unbelievably Freaky Week
If you have accident-prone children then wait till they read about Archie, an accident waiting to happen. He can't help it.
He arrives at school to find the dinner lady with her arm stuck in a drain but after a series of accidents, he becomes the one who is in deep trouble….
In just one week at school, he is accused of murder (wrongly, of course), gets trapped in the staff cloakroom without any clothes, gets mistaken for a dog and somehow manages to turn himself into a dog.
Not to mention the poisonous spider and the Health and Safety Inspector who gets a toilet stuck on his head . . .
Lucky for Archie, his best friend Cyd is always there to sort out the mess. And somehow, almost by accident, everything turns out all right in the end.
Fright Forest
Marcus Sedgwick
Orion Children's Books (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd )
ISBN: 9781444005578
Fright Forest
Trolls, ogres, fairies, goblins and witches abound in this delightful new series from Marcus Sedgwick, author of the Raven Mysteries books.
Elf Girl and Raven Boy (we don't find out their real names) live in the forest, which is being torn down by a giant ogre and no one knows why.
The two embark on a mission to find out why, but it means entering the terrifying Fright Forest and finding the wise witch, who also happens to have a terrible reputation for being very bad. On the way, they pick up a friendly rat and get chased by three trolls who want them for dinner.
Fright Forest is an adventurous and satisfying read with plenty of twists, turns and funny moments to keep readers aged eight years plus fully engaged. We also love the brilliant illustrations by Pete Williamson.
Shrek!
William Steig
Particular Books
ISBN: 9781846146466
Shrek!
Is Shrek one of your favourite films? Then you might want to take a look at this story which was the inspiration for the film.
This original Shrek is a lot uglier, scarier, more powerful and far more unpleasant than the one most of us recognize from the cinema.
This Shrek can cook food by glaring at it, spit flames and blow smoke from his ears. If a snake were foolish enough to bite him, it would die, and even the trees get out of the way to let Shrek by.
Yup, he's one repulsive ogre. Like the original story, he finds a maiden he wants to marry, although this one is even uglier than he is. And they both lived horribly ever after!
Me, the Queen and Christopher
Giles Andreae
Orchard Books
ISBN: 9781408320051
Me, the Queen and Christopher
The Queen's Jubilee is just around the corner and this story tells us what life might really be like behind the doors of Buckingham Palace!
Freya is the luckiest girl alive - she's been picked to spend a day with the Queen! But she soon finds out that life as a queen is not all tiaras and lobster. In fact the queen eats baked beans, likes dancing around in her tracksuit, and LOVES cupcakes! (and her favourite pair of knickers have dogs on them!)
She and Freya make loads of cakes for Freya to take home to her disabled younger brother, Christopher. But it's Christopher's turn to have a treat when the queen spots them both during her royal parade two weeks later - and Christopher gets to ride in her carriage.
Look out for posh butlers, lots of corgies, soldiers with furry hats - and The Queen!!
Bugville
Paul Howard
Egmont Books Ltd
ISBN: 9781405249256
Bugville
Think mean-looking slimy slugs, wrestling stag beetles, nasty gnats and creepy caterpillars and you've got Bugville, home to bugs, mini-beasts and small creatures. Some of them are nice, but many of them are nasty and it's the job of Superfly and his side-kick, Midge, to sort the good from the bad, and to give the bad a good licking!
In this adventure, Superfly finds himself tied up and slowly being lowered into a barrel full of hungry baby spiders - and that's just the start of big baddie Electro Slug's plans to ruin Bugville!
Can Superfly escape the spiders, rescue his true love Freya the housefly, be nice to the Grand Master grasshopper AND get home in time for dinner and his favourite programme, Bugville?! (Of course he can!)
The Magnificent Moon Hare
Sue Monroe
Egmont Books Ltd
ISBN: 9781405258753
The Magnificent Moon Hare
PJ Petulant is a spoiled and rather bored princess who wants 'fun and games and jokes and tricks and lots of fantastic stuff'! She also wants to get her own way, most of the time, and when she demands the Moon Hare (who lives in the moon) she expects to get him, too.
When Moon Hare does appear one night in her room, PJ Petulant soon realises that she has got rather more than she bargained for as Moon Hare is just as adept at getting his own way as she is. Throw in a dragon called Sandra (who is actually a boy dragon) into the mix, and sure enough, chaos follows.
This is a lively, irreverent story full of humour, inventiveness and petulant adults. It’s great fun.
The author of the series, Sue Monroe, has worked as a television and radio presenter but is best known as the programme links presenter on BBC’s CBeebies.
Downtown Dinosaurs: Dinosaur Olympics
Jeanne Willis
Piccadilly Press Ltd
ISBN: 9781848122406
Downtown Dinosaurs: Dinosaur Olympics
Two dinosaur teams squaring up for the newly-launched Dinosaur Olympics are, naturally, the herbivores versus the carnivores, who make for very challenging opposition (especially as they like to eat their opponents...)
Throw in a bumptious mayor called Boris, a gangsta T-Rex called Flint Beastwood and one of the new human characters - a very hairy one called Ozzie - and you have a complete disaster waiting to happen, which duly unfolds as cheating, eating and sleeping dino's bash their way through each Olympic-style event.
Hilarious - and just as funny for the adult sharing the book as for the child listening.
The Orchard Book of Grimm's Fairy Tales
Saviour Pirotta
Orchard Books
ISBN: 9781408309834
The Orchard Book of Grimm's Fairy Tales
Beautiful princesses, handsome princes, wicked witches and enchanted animals abound in this gorgeous gift book that includes retellings of ten of the most loved Grimm’s fairy tales, including Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White and Rose Red, Rapunzel and the Frog Prince, among others.
The stories are simply told but retain the classic qualities of the original stories and can be either shared with children or read by a child who is a confident reader.
Emma Chichester Clark’s gorgeous illustrations will help sustain interest in the stories and children will enjoy looking for the details she includes such as the flower motifs on each page, while the occasional double page spread of illustrations are a real treat.
This is a book to treasure and one that is bound to become a real family favourite.
The Giant Book of Giants
Saviour Pirotta
Egmont Books Ltd
ISBN: 9781405260084
The Giant Book of Giants
On the cover of this book, is a big eye staring out at you, waiting to climb out of the pages of the book. Could it be a real giant...?
You might have guessed that this book is all about giants and there are amazing stories about legendary giants from around the world - Jack and the Beanstalk, the Curious Giantess, Coyote Tricks the Giant and Sinbad's Third Voyage.
Best of all is a huge poster - bigger than you - of a giant. This amazing, 3D giant uses a lighthouse for a torch and his handkerchief is the sail from Sinbad's ship. Each of the coins in his pouch weighs the same as a wild boar and there are toadstools growing in his armpits!
Incredible stories, fabulous giants and great heroes. All in all, it's a giant amount of fun!
I Don't Believe it, Archie!
Andrew Norris
David Fickling Books
ISBN: 9780857560100
I Don't Believe it, Archie!
Archie is an ordinary boy to whom extraordinary things happen. Every day, something odd occurs to him.
With runaway pianos, leopards on the loose, dead dogs, mistaken identities, stolen handbags and a robbery, Archie has more packed into a shopping trip for a pint of milk than most people would see in a month.
Luckily, through all the mishaps and chaos, Archie generally manages to come through, leaving good deeds rather than devastation in his wake - but will accidentally confronting bank robbers be an escapade too far...?
How to Draw Horrible Science
Tony De Saulles
Scholastic
ISBN: 9781407111018
How to Draw Horrible Science
Ever wondered what a chicken looks like when it's struck by lightning? Or a cactus-eating elephant? Or whether elephant poo looks like cow poo?
Tony De Saulles, illustrator of the Horrible Science books, shares his illustration tips with you in this funny book about illustration.
There are a range of things to try out, from the pages on Deadly Dinosaurs and Bugs and Slugs to Body Bits and Making Faces. Best of all, he makes drawing looks brilliantly easy!
Bad Cat, Good Cat
Lynne Reid Banks
HarperCollins Children's Books
ISBN: 9780007419043
Bad Cat, Good Cat
David and Paloma are neighbours who have one thing in common - they both love cats. So when David gets a handsome white cat (which is rather badly behaved) and Paloma gets a gorgeous black cat (which behaves very well), everything seems to be perfect. Except that the cats don't like each other at all.
When the family sets off on holiday leaving the cats behind, good cat and bad cat suddenly have to fend for themselves; being friends now seems like a really good idea and the two of them have some great adventures before their families come home again.
This story, told by the bestselling Lynn Reid Banks, has some laugh-aloud moments as it explores this very real family and household.
It also tells you an awful lot about cats and be warned, some of it involves toilet habits and eating dead animals = as well as how clever cats really are.
Earwig and the Witch
Diana Wynne Jones
HarperCollins Children's Books
ISBN: 9780007416851
Earwig and the Witch
Earwig loves living at St Morwald's Home for Children with her friend Custard, who always does exactly what she wants him to do.
So when a strange-looking couple take her away to live with them, she’s not exactly pleased.
When she discovers that the woman is a witch and wants Earwig to help her make magical potions, Earwig is thrilled - how fantastic to be able to make spells!
All is not as it seems, however, and Earwig soon finds herself more of a slave than a witch in training. But the witch hasn't realised just how resourceful Earwig can be and she is soon hatching her own cunning plan...
The Curse of the Jelly Babies: Bk. 1
Karen McCombie
Faber Children's Books
ISBN: 9780571272396
The Curse of the Jelly Babies: Bk. 1
Next-door neighbours Ruby and Jackson take an instant dislike to each other until they discover Thing, a small creature, a bit like a cat with wings, lots of attitude, and some handy magic tricks.
Thing lives at the bottom of their gardens because its own home in the woods was destroyed by developers.
When Thing decides to get its own back on the development, Ruby and Jackson find themselves up to their eyeballs in jelly babies, magic and TROUBLE (big trouble).
The Clan of the Scorpion
Gareth P. Jones
Stripes Publishing
ISBN: 9781847151926
The Clan of the Scorpion
Meerkats have always been popular with children and now they have arrived in their own exclusive adventure series - the Ninja Meerkats! Think Ninja meets animal safari and you won't be far off the mark – except that this brood of meerkats isn't confined to their burrows in the bush.
With an airport a hop and a skip away from their homes, they also get to travel to where the action is and in this adventure, they are off to Hong Kong to thwart the plans of the evil Ringmaster who has stolen a tiger with special powers from Hong Kong Zoo.
Expect lots of inventiveness, much wacky humour and plenty of adventure in this great new series for younger readers.
Euuugh! Eyeball Stew!
Alan MacDonald
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
ISBN: 9781408803363
Euuugh! Eyeball Stew!
This is a hilarious Stone Age caper featuring a woolly rhino, skulls, lots of gems and, of course, eyeball stew.
When a stranger from a different tribe wanders into the Urk's village and starts handing out rubies and other gems for free, no one suspects a thing.
The girl, called Oosha,seems to be lost and so our hero Iggy offers to take her home. However, when they get to Oosha's village and Iggy and his friends are invited to stay for supper, they soon realise that they ARE supper....
Lots of mud, a strange disguise and Iggy's invention of a 'Boo and Arrow' help the Urks to plan their escape - but will they make it?
This is a laugh-aloud caper that is ideal for boys as well as girls. If they enjoy this story, there are others available in the fabulous Iggy the Urk series, too.
Mega Mash-Up: Romans v Dinosaurs on Mars
Nikalas Catlow
Nosy Crow Ltd
ISBN: 9780857630018
Mega Mash-Up: Romans v Dinosaurs on Mars
If Romans, Dinosaurs and doodling are among your child's interests, then try out the Mega Mash-Up books. These provide a great adventure story in which the reader can take part by doodling some of the story.
In this book, we visit Romasauria, the land where Romans and Dinosaurs live cheek by jowl, but an approaching asteroid threatens to destroy them all.
Undercover Aliens
Ceci Jenkinson
Faber Children's Books
ISBN: 9780571260041
Undercover Aliens
This story has aliens in spades including three-legged alien pets, a UFO and a really evil guy called Zolborg Naphax from the planet Quorkidellian.
Have you ever wondered if there are aliens living next door to you?
Oli thinks the new family across the road, the Kuznets, are aliens and it's about to land him and his mate Skipjack in a whole lot of trouble!
For the Kuznets aren't from Kalamistan at all, they really are aliens, and they need help to get home - and to escape the clutches of that evil guy from the planet Quorkidellian.
The Great Cat Conspiracy
Katie Davies
Simon & Schuster Childrens Books
ISBN: 9781847385970
The Great Cat Conspiracy
Tom is thrilled with the new family pet, a cat, but less than thrilled with all the dead animals it brings home. When the cat disappears after killing the neighbour's fish, Tom, Anna and Suzanne draw up a list of suspects and an investigation gets underway. Funny, warm and honest.
Cartoon Kid
Jeremy Strong
Puffin Books
ISBN: 9780141334769
Cartoon Kid
Classmates Casper and his best mate Pete are not very good at anything - until their new teachers tells the whole class that they are all superheroes!
Casper rises to the challenge, becoming Cartoon Kid, while Pete becomes Big Feet Pete. Together, they take on a series of challenges, confronting bullies, school tests and competitions to prove their superhero credentials.
Fantastic Frankie and the Brain-drain Machine
Anna Kemp
Simon & Schuster Childrens Books
ISBN: 9781847389367
Fantastic Frankie and the Brain-drain Machine
Frankie Blewitt is in trouble - he's brought home another bad report and is being sent to Crammar Grammar to improve his performance. But Frankie soon realises that there are some sinister goings-on at Crammar Grammar and that the headmaster, Dr Gore, is behind it all.
This is a lively story for confident readers aged 7+, and will also appeal to children aged up to nine years.
Beast Quest Annual: 2011
Adam Blade
Orchard Books
ISBN: 9781408312612
Beast Quest Annual: 2011
If your child is a Beast Quest fan (and many readers aged seven plus are) then they might not want to wait until Christmas for this treat - the first Beast Quest Annual.
The Beast Quest books are a series of fantasy titles in which Tom, the boy warrior, gets to confront and fight a variety of different and terrifying kinds of beasts. Each book comes with collector cards to encourage children to read more in the series.
The stories are fast-paced, full of action and monsters - ideal material for young boys and there are also many girl fans of the series.
The annual is packed with games, activities, Beast profiles, stories, puzzles and more. It features all the favourite characters from the series, as well as exclusive facts and info!
The Dunderheads
Paul Fleischman
Walker Books Ltd
ISBN: 9781406326048
The Dunderheads
The Dunderheads are a group of enterprising pupils who have one of the scariest teachers you'll come across, reminiscent of the cruel principle in Roald Dahl's Matilda.
When Miss Breakbone pushes her class too far by confiscating something precious, they vow to get it back.
The story focuses on the individual talents of each child - spitting, locksmithing, biking and drawing - that each come to play in the daring rescue of the confiscated objects.
The narrator of the story is 'Einstein' who plans the rescue and has an authorial role; how will this story work out.
A great introduction to plotting and storytelling with superb illustrations by David Roberts that also give it plenty of boy appeal. Ages 6+.
The Hero of Little Street
Gregory Rogers
Allen & Unwin
ISBN: 9781741145243
The Hero of Little Street
This is the third adventure in the Boy Bear series, which began with the well-received title, The Boy, the Bear, the Baron, the Bard.
Here, the boy escaping from a gang of bullies slips into London's National Gallery and ventures into a Vermeer painting and thus into seventeenth century Holland.
Like the previous books, this time-slip adventure story takes Boy into the past with the stories told in images in graphic novel-style layout; there is no text.
The humour and detail in the story reward exploration. It is also provides a good introduction to Vermeer's art and world and to story-telling based on art images. Ages 6/7+
Monstroso
Charlie Higson
Puffin Books
ISBN: 9780141328454
Monstroso
This is one of a series of 'pocket money books' that Puffin published this summer to enable children to afford to buy their own books by popular authors like Charlie Higson.
Oscar's grandfather is on babysitting duty one evening, giving Oscar the perfect opportunity to go and play on his father's work computer - something that is strictly forbidden.
To his surprise, Oscar discovers that his father has a great computer game but he is even more surprised (and not a little worried) when the character he creates steps out of the computer and starts destroying his bedroom. It soon gets a lot worse...
This is a funny and inventive story, a cross between a computer game spoof and clever adventure story. Perfect for airport waiting rooms or to keep young people engrossed for a morning or afternoon. Just don't let them near your work computer once they've read it...
Aunt Severe and the Dragons
Nick Garlick
Andersen Press Ltd
ISBN: 9781849390552
Aunt Severe and the Dragons
Daniel's parents are explorers but when they mysteriously disappear, he is sent to live with his Aunt Severe in her crumbling house where he's forced to work all day and eat spinach sandwiches. Then the dragons arrive....
The arrival of four friendly dragons, who are hunting for The Spelldocious book, brings adventure and excitement into Daniel’s life but they also help reveal the mystery of Aunt Severe’s life and her strange forgetfulness.
The Great Hamster Massacre
Katie Davies
Simon & Schuster Children's
ISBN: 1847385958
The Great Hamster Massacre
A young girl sets out to resolve the mystery of who or what killed her hamster. Told through her perspective, the story is warm, funny and touching and it is supported with great illustrations.
What's for Dinner, Mr Gum?
Andy Stanton
Egmont Books Ltd
ISBN: 1405248246
What's for Dinner, Mr Gum?
Mr Gum has discovered that he loves rancid kebabs for dinner and can't get enough of them. But soon he has the town of Lamonic Bibber up in arms.... The Mr Gum books are ideal for Horrid Henry fans who are ready to move on, and for children who are beginning on Roald Dahl.
Finn Family Moomintroll
Tove Jansson
Puffin Books
ISBN: 0141328606
Finn Family Moomintroll
The ever-popular Moomintrolls are back in this gift edition hardback title. Wonderful stories for young and old and perfect for developing confidence in young readers.
Long Walk to Freedom
Nelson Mandela
Macmillan Children's Books
ISBN: 1405091886
Long Walk to Freedom
This book talks about Nelson Mandela, who spent a lifetime fighting apartheid in South Africa. It is an abridged and illustrated version of his autobiography including the years he spent in prison, his eventual freedom and election to President of South Africa.
It's Them Monkey Pirates Again!
Mark Skelton
Egmont Books Ltd
ISBN: 1405243945
It's Them Monkey Pirates Again!
All aboard the wardrobe! Them Monkey Pirates are back - and this time they've promised to find Emily Jane's uncle. But they end up in the future instead.
The Great Escape
Emily Bearn
Egmont Books Ltd
ISBN: 1405238968
The Great Escape
An adventure story for younger readers that has the feel of a classic in the making. The Great Escape follows the fortunes of two mice who secretly look after the two children who share the house they live in.
Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear
Andy Stanton
Egmont Books Ltd
ISBN: 1405241799
Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear
Mr Gum & the Dancing Bear has just won the Roald Dahl Funniest Book Award (seven plus). The earlier Mr Gum books are every bit as funny and a treat for young readers aged seven plus, and older 'reluctant' readers. It's also a great book to share with children.
The Story of the Olympics
Minna Lacey
Usborne Publishing Ltd
ISBN: 0746084390
The Story of the Olympics
With the Olympics having taken place this year, Usborne has created a book for younger readers explaining the history of the Olympics and including information about a number of modern Olympic heroes. See More to download an extract.
Planet Earth
Alex Frith
Usborne Publishing Ltd
ISBN: 0746087543
Planet Earth
This book helps to explain Earth's ecosystems in a series of easy-to-understand spreads covering issues like global warming and the ozone layer. See More to download an extract.
My First Pet Dragon
Professor Georgie Blink
Catnip Publishing Ltd
ISBN: 1846470668
My First Pet Dragon
Everything a young dragon-enthusiast will need to know about looking after these special creatures, whether or not they have one as a pet.
