Grumpy Duck
Baby and Toddler 3+ readersA bad mood gives rise to a really joyous picture book. Duck is cross and out of sorts. She can’t paddle in the pond because it’s dry and she’s got no-one to play with. The other animals invite her to play with them but by then she’s really sulking, so deep in her bad mood – represented by an ever-growing black cloud over her head – that she grumps at them all, spreading her tetchiness. Then finally the black cloud bursts and all the animals, led by Duck, come together for a splashy, playful, raucous rendition of Singing in the Rain. Children will understand exactly how Duck feels, while Petr Horacek’s jewel-bright, richly textured artwork is spectacularly beautiful.
Toto the Ninja Cat and the Incredible Cheese Heist Book 2
5+ readers 7+ readersToto is no ordinary cat, and she can't wait for you to join her on her SECOND ninja adventure! From one of the UK's best-loved broadcasters, purrfect for fans of The Aristocats, The Secret Life of Pets and Atticus Claw Breaks the Law. Toto, the amazing ninja cat, is back and cooler than ever! Toto is almost blind, but that doesn't stop her having brilliant adventures. Something CAT-ASTROPHIC has happened: ALL the cheese in the world has been stolen. Join Toto, her brother Silver and their best-friend Catface on a secret mission to save the day. Toto is going to need all her ninja skills to defeat the fur-midable cheese thief ... Ideal for reading aloud or for children to curl up with and read alone, the story features brilliant black and white illustrations throughout. With gentle themes of friendship, inclusivity and winning in the face of adversity, this is a hilarious must-read for all animal-loving kids! Dermot says: 'The idea for Toto first came to me when my wife and I rescued two stray cats from an olive grove in Italy. One of them, Toto, has been blind from birth, but we quickly realised she had ninja-like reactions. Like a lot of cat owners (or cat servants), we like to imagine our pets having secret lives when we're out or asleep. So before I knew it I was writing about Toto and her brother Silver's nocturnal adventures around London. I really hope that children who pick it up enjoy reading the adventures of our little Italian underdog (cat).' Have you read Toto's first adventure, The Great Snake Escape?
The Bolds in Trouble
7+ readers 9+ readersThe Bolds, for those who don’t know, are a family of hyenas living disguised as humans in a quiet street in Teddington. They wear clothes and hats to cover their hyena features, so the neighbours have no idea what they really are, though they notice they laugh a lot, as will readers of these hugely entertaining stories. In this adventure the Bolds run into trouble. A couple of foxes are disturbing the human residents of Fairfield Street putting themselves in danger of being captured. But when the Bolds try to help the foxes they get a very rude response. The story is full of incident, packed with humour (including masses of very good jokes) and the Bolds continue to demonstrate that kindness, tolerance, and a good sense of humour are the elements for a happy life. Required reading.
And the Ocean Was Our Sky
13+ readers YA readersCall me Bathsheba. The whales of Bathsheba's pod live for the hunt. Led by the formidable Captain Alexandra, they fight a never-ending war against men. Then the whales attack a man ship, and instead of easy prey they find the trail of a myth, a monster, perhaps the devil himself... With their relentless Captain leading the chase, they embark on the final hunt, one that will forever change the worlds of whales and men.
Oscar and the CATastrophe
3+ readers 5+ readers 7+ readersAugust 2018 Book of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month August 2018 | Oscar the talking dog is back for a wittily entertaining third adventure with his friend and owner Sam. Oscar’s problem is the very big white cat who suddenly arrives to live next door; Oscar hates all cats but he hates Carmen especially because she sits in all his favourite places. Sam is more worried that there’s a thief on the loose and his mother’s ring has gone missing. Is there a connection between Oscar and Sam’s worries? And can they help the police solve the mystery? With lots of twists and turns along the way Oscar and Sam play a key role in this fun adventure. - Julia Eccleshare Julia Eccleshare's Picks of the Month for August 2018 Once Upon A Wild Wood by Chris Riddell Oscar and the CATastrophe by Sarah Horne Run Wild by Gill Lewis Peril in Paris (Taylor & Rose: Secret Agents) by Katherine Woodfine The Garden of Hope by Isabel Otter
The Everywhere Bear Book and CD Pack
3+ readers 5+ readersSpecial Hardback and CD Edition. Best-selling duo Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb reunite in a lovely story that begins in a Year One classroom before taking us on an exciting, fantastical journey. Scenes in the classroom and at home with the children as they play with their shared Everywhere Bear are beautifully depicted in Donaldson’s nimble rhyming text and Cobb’s sketchy, lithe illustrations. Their imaginations take flight when the poor bear is lost, swept down a drain and into the sea in dramatic scenes before finally, almost miraculously, he’s reunited with Class One. In the hands of star author and illustrator, it all makes for an exceptionally satisfying adventure for young readers, with much they’ll recognise, much to make them wonder. ~ Andrea Reece Best-selling Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb create some wonderful adventures for the much-loved class bear in this warm-hearted and dramatic story with a strong classroom background. One thing is for sure - the Everywhere Bear knows that his life will never be dull! He goes home with a different child every weekend and no-one knows what surprises the weekend will bring! ~ Julia Eccleshare
I Am Little Fish! A Finger Puppet Book
Baby and ToddlerBright and cheerful in his gorgeous undersea world filled with friends Little Fish is an adorable character for the very young, but the addition of a finger puppet allowing him to pop up and bob about on every page make this irresistible! It’s great fun to send Little Fish swimming through the colourful, brightly patterned weeds, or to wiggle his tail to change speed (a clear demonstration of the concepts of fast and slow), and you can even make him give his mummy a kiss. Lucy Cousins’ artwork and characters are perfect for tinies and there’ll be lots of learning going on alongside the fun. ~ Andrea Reece
How to be a Lion
5+ readersMeet Leonard - a lion like no other. Leonard's best friend is Marianne, a duck. But lions chomp ducks, don't they? And what will the pair do when their way of life is threatened?
Dog
9+ readers 11+ readersIn a nutshell: gripping, sometimes heart-breaking story of a dog and his boy Guardian award-winner Andy Mulligan brings his own sensibility to a much-loved model - boy and dog form special relationship - adding a particular humour, seriousness and depth. It’s love at first sight for Tom and Spider, but a series of accidents results in Spider running away from home. The animals he meets are almost universally cruel, their animal natures leading them to torment Spider and other animals too; a vixen offers to help him home but loses her life in the process. Things get bleaker still, until Spider finally fights his way back to Tom. A thrilling climax allows the two of them, both bullied, to emerge as heroes. Original, thought-provoking and with a dark humour, this is an ultimately uplifting read, and very memorable. Andrea Reece
The Station Mouse
3+ readers 5+ readersThe Station Mouse is a perfect bedtime read. Every page is a feast to the eye, with jokes and things to spot to keep it interesting read after read. The hero of our story is a most diligent mouse employed in the local railway station on a mission to keep the site clean and tidy. He does this under a strict Rule Book which, amongst many, dictates he must stay out of sight and never approach a passenger. He follows these rules most conscientiously until he spots the opportunity to reunite some lost property as a little boy drops his comforter while crossing the concourse. Hurray for the Station Mouse! I think we've all been unfortunate enough to lose something whilst travelling - if only there were more busy little mice reuniting property. This is a lovely book with original and charming illustrations and a cheerful storyline.
Kat Wolfe Investigates
9+ readersJune 2018 Book of the Month | In a nutshell: animals, adventure and an irresistible cast of characters This new series has everything that marks out the best, most satisfying and enjoyable children’s books. For a start there’s a smart but impulsive, ready-for-anything central character in Kat Wolfe, who quickly finds an equally enterprising new best friend, Harper Lamb. Then there’s a procession of the best pets/animal helpers ever, from half-feral Savannah cat Tiny to flighty racehorse Charmed Outlaw, to movie-line quoting parrot Bailey. Put them into an adventure involving genuinely threatening double-crossing secret agents, and incompetent would-be assassins, all set in a beautiful and perfectly described Dorset coastal village, mix in warm family relationships, and you have one of the best new adventure stories of the year. Lauren St John brings all the elements together with seemingly effortless ease and there can’t be a young reader in the country who won’t lap this up. ~ Andrea Reece
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The Afterwards
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Father Christmas's Fake Beard
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The Ice Monster
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The Silk Roads A New History of the World - Illustrated Edition
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Dog Diaries: Happy Howlidays!
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Lesser Spotted Animals
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Santa's High-tech Christmas
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The Dog that Saved Christmas
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Only the Ocean
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Atlas of Adventures: Wonders of the World
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