Once upon a time... Children’s books to keep them amused
Brilliant new books to keep the little people in your life entertained, chosen by Sarah Kingsford
Picture books
Octopus Shocktopus by Peter Bently and Steven Lenton (Nosy Crow, £11.99) Not everyone is happy when a giant octopus lands on the house. But it plays football, fixes the car and even saves the neighbour’s cat, so everybody quickly learns to love this new friend. Witty rhyming fun, perfect for reading aloud.
What The Ladybird Heard At The Seaside by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks (Macmillan, £12.99)
In this colourful, sparkly story, the clever little ladybird is enjoying a holiday at the seaside when she overhears those two bad men, Lanky Len and Hefty Hugh, hatching a plan to steal the mermaid’s hair. Thankfully, the ladybird has a clever plan of her own.
You Can’t Count On Dinosaurs by Philip Ardagh and Elissa Elwick (Walker Books, £12.99)
It’s not easy to count dinosaurs, especially when the ankylosaurus is eaten by a hungry T-rex. Bright and bold, this interactive picture book will help young children count to 10 while they try to keep track of some very troublesome dinosaurs.
No-bot: The Robot’s New Bottom by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet (Simon & Schuster, £6.99) When Bernard the Robot’s bottom starts to make funny noises it must be time for a new one. What should he use? A cheese? A sofa?
A balloon? Nothing is right. Will Bernard ever find the perfect bottom? Another fabulously silly story from this award-winning pair.
Five-plus
Anisha, Accidental Detective by Serena Patel (Usborne, £5.99)
Anisha is all set to be a (reluctant) bridesmaid at her Aunty Bindi’s wedding when a ransom note arrives – the groom has been kidnapped and will only be released if the wedding is called off. Thankfully, with the help of her best friend Milo and some super-observant detecting skills, science-mad Anisha is quickly on the case. A fabulously funny mystery.
Clifftoppers: The Thorn Island Adventure by Fleur Hitchcock (Nosy Crow, £6.99)
For cousins Aiden, Chloe, Ava and Josh, holidays at their grandparents’ cottage mean only one thing – adventure. And when they spot a terrified face at a tower window, they are convinced it’s the kidnapped boy everyone is searching for. Time for a daring rescue plan requiring some serious sailing skills. A satisfying action-packed thriller with echoes of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five.
Sequin And Stitch by Laura Dockrill (Barrington Stoke, £6.99)
Sequin and her dressmaker mum live in a flat overflowing with fabrics, buttons and beads and while her mum sews dresses late into the night Sequin takes care of her baby brother, Stitch. But when tragedy strikes they must both learn how to sew their lives back together. Dyslexia-friendly features add to the appeal of a beautiful family story.
Wigglesbottom Primary: Break-time Bunnies by Pamela Butchart, illustrated by Becka Moor (Nosy Crow, 6.99)
Life is never dull for the children in year two at Wigglesbottom Primary. From a playground invasion of (possible) attack rabbits to a violin teacher who might also be a witch, young readers will love this collection of funny school stories from award-winning author Pamela Butchart.
Nine-plus
The Super Miraculous Journey Of Freddie Yates by Jenny Pearson (Usborne, £6.99)
When Freddie Yates decides to track down his biological dad, he doesn’t expect to get involved in an onion-eating competition or end up on national TV dressed as Supergirl. But this is a journey with a difference – and perhaps the odd miracle – making this heartbreaking and hilarious book the must-read of the summer.
The Strangeworlds Travel Agency by LD Lapinski (Orion, £6.99)
Stumbling across the Strangeworlds Travel Agency and its young manager Jonathan, nine-year-old Flick discovers that this is no ordinary travel agent – instead, it is the gateway to hundreds of magical worlds, all just a suitcase away. But all is not well in these magical realms and Flick and Jonathan soon find themselves caught up in a fabulous fantastical adventure to put these troubled worlds to rights.
The Unadoptables by Hana Tooke (Puffin, £12.99)
Set in Amsterdam in 1892, this is the story of five orphans at the Little Tulip Orphanage – Lotta, Egg, Fenna, Sem and Milou. All are unwanted and deemed “the unadoptables” until the evening when a sinister man appears with a suspicious plan for the children. Taking their chance to escape, they set out to help Milou find the family who abandoned her. It’s the start of a beautiful, warm-hearted adventure that explores friends, family and finding a home in a windmill.
The Vanishing Trick by Jenni Spangler (Simon & Schuster, £6.99) When the mysterious Madame Pinchbeck offers young orphan Leander a home and a job, he jumps at the chance. But there is more to Madame Pinchbeck than meets the eye and Leander soon finds himself trapped in her magical world of illusion. Her spell must be broken or a child will vanish forever. A magical Victorian adventure complete with a dastardly villain.
Young adult
On Midnight Beach by Marie-louise Fitzpatrick (Faber, £7.99)
It’s the long hot summer of 1976 and the heatwave has hit Donegal. So when a dolphin appears in Ross Bay, Emer and her friend Fee start sneaking out at night to swim with it – and to meet up with Dog Cullen and his friend Kit.
As the temperature rises so do local tensions and, as old rivalries simmer, the summer reaches a brutal and shocking boiling point.
The Austen Girls by Lucy Worsley (Bloomsbury, £7.99)
Historical fiction fans of all ages will love immersing themselves in the Georgian world of Pride And Prejudice author Jane Austen in the tale of her two young nieces preparing to embark on the hunt for husbands. Packed with real-life characters, historical detail and even a mystery to solve, this is an enticing blend of romance and realism.
The Great Godden by Meg Rosoff (Bloomsbury, £12.99)
Every year two families decamp to the seaside for the long summer holidays. But this year, there are two extra guests
– the charming and irresistible Kit Godden and his brother, the silent and surly Hugo. Everyone quickly falls in love with the handsome Kit but is he really as perfect as everyone thinks? A touching coming-of-age novel that is perfect for summertime.
Activity books
100 Adventures To Have Before You Grow Up by Anna Mcnuff, illustrated by Clair Rossiter (Walker, £8.99)
From map reading to fossil hunting, this will inspire the whole family to get outdoors and make the most of the summer.
Get Ahead in… Chemistry by Tom Whipple, illustrated by James Davies (Walker, £7.99)
Billed as “GCSE revision without the boring bits”, this witty and accessible guide covers all the core topics (an edition for physics is also available).
Little Children’s Holiday Activity Book edited by Rebecca Gilpin (Usborne, £6.99)
Packed with holiday-themed puzzles, this fun book contains doodles to draw, pictures to colour and objects to spot.