Books

Stocking fillers for young and old

Find the Girl by Lucy and Lydia Connell (Penguin) Fifteen-year-old twins, Nancy and Nina Palmer, may look identical but they are as different as chalk and cheese. Confident Nancy pays more attention to her social media than to her sister, shy Nina, but that’s all about to change. The first novel from Youtube stars Lucy and Lydia.

A Map of Days by Ransom Riggs (Penguin)

The new novel from the creator of Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children moves the action to modernday America, where Jacob Portman is suddenly visited by Miss Peregrine and her wards at home in Florida.

The Great Big Book of Irish Wildlife by Juanita Browne (O’Brien)

An illustrated journey around the country to meet some of the animals that live there. Going from season to season, and taking in fields, forests, mountains, the sea and your back garden, it’s packed with brilliant drawings by Barry Reynolds. My Mum Tracey Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson (Penguin) Twenty-seven years after we first met the feisty Tracy Beaker, she’s back, but this tine she’s a single mother and this new story is told from the point of view of her daughter Jess. The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown (Piccadilly Press)

The sequel to the US author-illustrator’s first adventure with Roz the wild robot. Once again told with wonderful illustrations, this time Roz must learn to live with humans and other robots.

The Magic Moment by Niall Breslin (Gill)

Bressie’s first book for children is a beautifully illustrated story about Freddie, a little boy who loves dinosaurs, but must learn a way to overcome his fears when he goes to the swimming pool for the first time.

How High the Moon by Karyn Parsons (Puffin) A powerful story set in the US in 1941. For 11-year-old Ella, a move from her segregated Southern hometown to Boston to live with her mother is a dream come true, until one of her school friends at home is accused of murdering two white girls.

Secret Science by Dara O Briain (Scholastic) The comic and TV presenter’s latest science book for younger readers is subtitled ‘ The Amazing World Beyond Your Eyes’ explores the science behind everyday life, taking in everything from exploding fish and farting cows to angry electrons and the formula for the perfect breakfast. Blazing a Trail by Sarah Webb & Lauren O’Neill (O’Brien)

Subtitled ‘Irish Women Who Changed the World’, this book salutes the remarkable Irish women who changed history. With beautiful illustrations, discover adventurers, inventors, explorers, warriors, designers, writers, rebel leaders and presidents.

The Bacteria Book by Steve Mould (Penguin)

Learn not to be scared of germs (while being very scared of some of them!) in this crazy colourful guide to the mighty microscopic world all around us (and in us, on us – in fact, part of all of us). Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J Maas (Penguin)

In this third DC Icons book, Selina Kyle returns to Gotham City as the rich and mysterious Holly Vanderhees. With Batman away from the urban jungle, there are lots of opportunities for crime – will the new villain on the block, Catwoman, prove to be Batwing’s undoing?

Humanology by Prof Luke O’Neill (Gill)

With lots of intriguing drawing and illustrations this exciting book from the Trinity scientist aims to answer 20 burning questions about human life, from how it starts, to why we laugh, how sleep works the real superhumans and why we grow old.

The Raven’s Children by Yulia Yakovleva (Puffin) Translated from Russian, this story is set during Stalin’s Terror in 1938. Seven-year-old Shura doesn’t know about any of this: he’s happy going to school and playing with his best friend, that is until Mama and Papa and his baby brother disappear without a trace.