CHILDREN’S SALLY MORRIS

THE WIZARDS OF ONCE by Cressida Cowell (Hachette £12.99) How do you follow up the global bestselling series, How To Train Your Dragon?

By launching a new fantasy world fizzing with evil, magic, Iron Age history, laugh-out-loud jokes and a huge cast of memorable characters.

Prince Xar is a cocky young wizard whose magical powers are late arriving, so he sets out to catch a witch ( they’re supposedly extinct), and steal her abilities.

But instead he meets the forceful wish, daughter of the warrior Queen and a sworn enemy of the wizards.

Together they undertake a quest, helped by a giant, an anxious talking raven, snowcats and a heartbreakingly engaging sprite called squeezjoos, whose brush with death is the most emotionally involving scene since Tinker Bell drank poison.

Cowell plays with language, builds tension, and illustrates her high-speed adventure with atmospheric dark sketches. Another bestseller is born. TOTO by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark (HarperCollins £14.99) ‘PAPA Toto always began his story: “I was there.” ’

so begins this charming retelling of the classic wizard of oz, but the twist is that Dorothy’s dog, Toto, recounts the extraordinary adventure to his puppies, lending a new perspective to the journey along the Yellow Brick road.

Children familiar with the film version of L. frank Baum’s book will discover additional dramas with wolves and mice.

emma Chichester Clark’s distinctive bold illustrations bring these famous characters vividly to life. GOTH GIRL AND THE SINISTER SYMPHONY by Chris Riddell (Macmillan £11.99) ALL good things must come to an end, and sadly this is the finale of former Children’s Laureate Chris riddell’s award-winning Goth Girl series — but it goes out on a high.

It’s summer at Ghastly-Gorm Hall and Lord Goth is holding a music festival — Gothstock.

The untrustworthy butler has invited music impresario simon scowl and his ropey musicians, while Lord Goth’s mother is parading a series of eligible girls in front of her widower son.

As ever, it’s his daughter, Ada, who has to save the day with her loyal Attic Gang. Almost recognisable characters in the mayhem include scheming Taylor extremely- swift and orangefaced Donald ear-Trumpet, with ‘what looked like a racoon-skin hat on his head’.

Beautifully illustrated and packed with jokes and punning cultural references, this is sheer manic fun.