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Author-illustrator Alex T. Smith is the award-winning creator of the bestselling Claudeseries, which is published in 16 languages worldwide, and is now a TV show on Disney Junior. Alex’s newest series, Mr Penguin, launched in 2017, to widespread praise. Alex’s quirky, witty writing and illustrations are instantly recognisable, critically acclaimed and as popular with adults as children. Alex is also widely praised for his work illustrating children’s classics: he won Children’s Book of the World Illustration Award for his illustrations in a new edition of Dodie Smith’s The Hundred and One Dalmatians; he has created new art for books by Enid Blyton, Eva Ibbotson and Richmal Crompton. Alex has collaborated with Watership Down author Richard Adams on his last book, Egg Box Dragon, as well as David Almond and Juno Dawson. Alex has won the UKLA Picture Book Award and the Sainsbury’s Children’s Book Award, and been shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Award. He has also been the official World Book Day illustrator.
Dedicated to his own ‘utterly bonkers’ grandma’s and demonstrating his relish for all things Christmas related, Alex T Smith and Macmillan have lovingly produced this top-notch seasonal offering. In a lovely author note at the end we are told he started humming the tune and could not remember all the words and started making them up and so the carol starts traditionally up to five and from there things get more outlandish than even the original. I cannot decide which is my favourite: the eight bears a-balancing or the eleven penguins parping! Set firmly in the Edwardian era, when the original lyrics were first set to music, allows for gorgeous detail to pore over in the costumes worn by our increasingly amazed black heroine, Eloise Jingles, and the eponymous overgenerous grandma we meet at the end. But even more delight is found in all the lovely postage and packaging detail that we see before the contents are revealed. The Each Peach Pear Plum Home Orchard Co and Ms Trudy Truelove’s Lovebirds of Distinction can be easily matched with the gift, but it is the Extra Large Parcel Company’s huge box that holds the laugh out loud conclusion. This could inspire lots of creativity in making up your own versions of the song and designing your own stamps and packaging. A real delight for any home or classroom.
Little mouse Winston stars in a perfect Christmas adventure. Even for a mouse, he’s small but Winston’s got a big heart and when he finds a lost letter for Father Christmas he’s determined to see it delivered. His expedition is full of challenges, but along the way he’s helped by some equally warm-hearted and generous animals, including a beautiful white cat and a rat who ‘works’ at the famous Fortesque’s department store. Winston’s good deed is rewarded and the little mouse finds a warm bed and a new family for Christmas. The book is divided into 24 ½ chapters – one a day for 1st – 24th December plus a treat for Christmas morning! Interspersed are festive craft activities too and there can’t be a better book to set readers up for Christmas. Alex T Smith’s illustrations are gorgeous – big, busy and dramatic scenes but always with our little hero centre stage.
Little mouse Winston stars in a perfect Christmas adventure. Even for a mouse, he’s small but Winston’s got a big heart and when he finds a lost letter for Father Christmas he’s determined to see it delivered. His expedition is full of challenges, but along the way he’s helped by some equally warm-hearted and generous animals, including a beautiful white cat and a rat who ‘works’ at the famous Fortesque’s department store. Winston’s good deed is rewarded and the little mouse finds a warm bed and a new family for Christmas. The book is divided into 24 ½ chapters – one a day for 1st – 24th December plus a treat for Christmas morning! Interspersed are festive craft activities too and there can’t be a better book to set readers up for Christmas. Alex T Smith’s illustrations are gorgeous – big, busy and dramatic scenes but always with our little hero centre stage.
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month April 2018 | Award-winning David Almond’s new story for younger reader is a delightfully lightly told, warm-hearted story perfect for all those who are willing believe in a little bit of something special. When a little angel turns up in Bert’s pocket as he drives the bus all kinds of remarkable things begin to happen. Bert takes Angelino home to Betty and he brings great happiness into their lives. When Betty takes Angelino to school he delights the children too. Only the acting Head Teacher Mrs Mole, her horrible side-kick Professor Smellie and the imposter of a school inspector are untouched by his magical qualities. But who is Angelino? David Almond inspires readers’ imagination and raises questions about definitions of good and bad. It is a Wonderful book.
Ella is a little ladybird with big dreams. Her ugly wasp stepsisters make her do all the housework, all of the time, and Ella feels very sad. Then one day the famous Parisian artist Pierre decides to throw a Grand Bug Ball - and Ella's life is about to change forever...
In a nutshell: jolly seasonal adventures for ever-dapper Claude Alex T Smith’s stories about Claude and his friend Sir Bobblysock are absolutely delightful and with their short extent and cartoon style layout are particularly suitable for newly-confident readers. In this festive special our two heroes find themselves having to take over from Santa Claus at short notice when Claude accidentally handcuffs him to a chair, thinking he’s a burglar. They’ve only managed to get to five houses by midnight, but fortunately Claude’s friend PC Anne Cuffs arrives and manages to set Father Christmas free. Text and illustrations are as jaunty as Claude’s beret and this is a festive treat from beginning to end. ~ Andrea Reece
Interest Age Teen Reading Age 8 | Teenage love is the subject of Juno Dawson’s thoroughly creepy new book for Barrington Stoke: ‘I think we love more freely… more playfully, with reckless abandon’, says Eliza to her boyfriend Sam shortly before she is killed in a car crash, which almost explains his actions after her death. Sam’s grief is all-encompassing, and he is prepared to do absolutely anything to see her again… It’s a genuinely chilling story, but Dawson keeps a playfulness there too, and finally leads Sam back to hopes of a happy future. Beautiful full page illustrations by Alex T Smith send more shivers down the spine; one to read with all the lights on. Readers gripped by this dark story would enjoy short stories by Edgar Allan Poe, M R James and E F Benson. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant and dyslexic teen readers.
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award May 2017 Book of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month May 2017 Award-winning David Almond’s new story for younger reader is a delightfully lightly told, warm-hearted story perfect for all those who are willing believe in a little bit of something special. When a little angel turns up in Bert’s pocket as he drives the bus all kinds of remarkable things begin to happen. Bert takes Angelino home to Betty and he brings great happiness into their lives. When Betty takes Angelino to school he delights the children too. Only the acting Head Teacher Mrs Mole, her horrible side-kick Professor Smellie and the imposter of a school inspector are untouched by his magical qualities. But who is Angelino? David Almond inspires readers’ imagination and raises questions about definitions of good and bad. It is a Wonderful book. ~ Julia Eccleshare. Julia Eccleshare's Picks of the Month for May 2017 The Lotterys Plus One by Emma Donoghue King of the Sky by Nicoloa Davies A Story Like the Wind by Gill Lewis King Coo by Adam Stower The Tale of Angelino Brown by David Almond Cinnamon by Neil Gaiman The Big Bird Spot by Matt Sewell
From the World Book Day Illustrator 2014 comes a brand-new tale about Claude, the bestselling beret-clad canine hero.
Winner of the UKLA 2016 Book Award in the 3 - 6 year old category. | Little Red Riding Hood transposed to an African town setting where a lion is really no match for a clever small girl. The inventive layout of the text and its relationship to the witty, beautifully coloured illustrations really enhance the child friendly storytelling. The empowering portrayal of different cultures and a heroine who is not a naive victim ensure that this will become a classic for the classroom and the nursery. A wonderfully engaging classic fairy tale with a twist by the bestselling Alex T. Smith.
March 2014 Debut of the Month A fun-filled new picture book about the power of good with quirky illustrations from award-winning Alex T. Smith. Boys in particular will love the story of Hector, a tiny little boy with a big, brave heart who goes on an adventure to rescue his granny's wand from a big bad knight.
March 2014 Debut of the Month A fun-filled new picture book about the power of good with quirky illustrations from award-winning Alex T. Smith.
Ella is a little ladybird with big dreams. Her ugly wasp stepsisters make her do all the housework, all of the time, and Ella feels very sad. Then one day the famous Parisian artist Pierre decides to throw a Grand Bug Ball - and Ella's life is about to change forever...
Join Winston the mouse as he sets out on another irresistible Christmas adventure! From Alex T. Smith, bestselling author of the Claude series, comes How Winston Came Home for Christmas - the festive sequel to the much-loved How Winston Delivered Christmas. Full of gorgeous colour artwork and Christmassy activities for all the family to enjoy, this second Winston adventure is sure to become a Christmas classic to be enjoyed year after year. It is five days until Christmas and Winston has a Very Curious Mystery to solve. He has hazy rememberings of another mouse, and he just knows that someone very important to him is lost. After promising Oliver that he will be back in time for Christmas, no matter what, Winston sets out on an exciting round-the-world adventure to find the missing mouse, helped along the way by wonderful old friends and delightful new ones, too. A Christmas mystery written in 24-and-a-half-chapters, one to read every day of December in the lead up to Christmas, each chapter includes it's very own festive activity for all the family to enjoy together - including crafting decorations, making Christmas food, discovering Christmas traditions from around the world and so much more! This gorgeous hardback has a festively foiled cover, a ribbon and artwork on beautiful paper, making it the perfect Christmas gift.
Eva Ibbotson is one of those rare authors that really delivers believable and utterly captivating characters. Her setting is a castle that is quite fantastical, with some incredibly funny ghosts. And yet readers are drawn in in such a way as to make them feel completely at home and part of the interplay between good and evil. A rollercoaster of a read. ***Eva's son, Toby Ibbotson, is now continuing the tradition of storytelling with his debut novel Mountwood School for Ghosts which is based on an original idea by Eva Ibbotson.
The first in a fantastically funny series from award-winning author of Dogs Don't Do Ballet, Anna Kemp, with illustrations from the creator of the bestselling Claude series Alex T Smith! When Frankie Blewitt brings home yet another F-for-failure school report it's the last straw for his overachieving parents and they decide to send him to the Crammar Grammar boarding school. At first he is just relieved to be away from home, but he soon realises that there's something really weird going on at Crammar Grammar... As Frankie tries to find out the secrets of the school he discovers that the headmaster, Dr Gore, has plans to turn all the students into robot-like super-brains using his Brain-drain machine! With the help of his new friends Neet and Wes, Alphonsine his crazy French nanny and a poodle named Colette, can Frankie save the day before it's too late and change the F-for- failure to F-for-fantastic? '...vigorously comic, and the plot's twists and turns are expertly judged...a bonkers treat' The Financial Times '[Anna Kemp] is a name to watch out for' Caroline Horn in The Bookseller 'An action-packed story full of humour, and illustrated with quirky black-and-white line drawings - the perfect combination for newly confident readers and a brilliant, boisterous book to share' Close Up Magazine
From the author of Watership Downcomes an enchanting picture book about the adventures of a mischievous homemade dragon. Whatever you've lost, Egg Box Dragon will find it. He's retrieved missing footballs, glasses and watches aplenty. He's so expert at cracking mysteries that the Queen herself requests his services. Will Egg Box Dragon find the missing diamond from the Queen's crown? Richard Adams, author of Watership Down, was awarded both the Carnegie Medal and the Guardian Award for children's fiction. A new mini series of Watership Down will premiere Christmas 2018 on BBC1 and launch globally on Netflix Spring 2019, featuring the voices of Olivia Colman and Freddie Fox, amongst others. Author-illustrator Alex T. Smith is the award-winning creator of the Claude series, now a TV show on Disney Junior.
When you're a princess, you can do whatever you like. Or can you? Life for Princess Primrose is rather dull because she's not allowed to climb trees, dig up muddy vegetables or even splash in the fountain. Everyone in the royal household is properly proper, and Primrose longs to have some serious FUN. But things take a turn for the better when Primrose's Grandmama comes for a visit and reminds everyone never to say no to a spot of fun. A gorgeous new picture book by Alex T. Smith that reminds us to giggle. PICTURE BOOKS BY ALEX T. SMITH Ella Hector and the Big Bad Knight Home Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion Princess Primrose
Inspired by Enid Blyton's bestselling school series The Naughtiest Girl - this is the hilarious diary of the naughtiest pupil there's ever been. Fans of Tom Gates will love this! 'Mum says pupils aren't allowed to take mobile devices to Whyteleafe ... excuse me? It's the twenty-first century! What next? Ride to school on a penny-farthing?' When Elizabeth Allen is packed off to boarding school, armed with nothing but a journal to write in for entertainment, she is NOT impressed. How will she survive without her home comforts, especially her pony Ross (the only boy she has ever truly loved)? Elizabeth comes up with a cunning plan: she will be so naughty that she gets sent home . . . But then Elizabeth discovers a love for music and makes her first ever friend ... perhaps school life might not be as bad as she thought? The Diary of the Naughtiest Girl is written by bestselling author Jeanne Willis and illustrated by Alex T. Smith, acclaimed creator of the Claude books.
Watch out! Mums have superpowers! Milo's mum always knows what he's up to. She knows when he's using her saucepans to brew up magic spells. She knows when he's bouncing on his bed. She even knows when he's wrestling with giant sea monsters in the bath! But how does she do it? There can only be one answer: she must have X-RAY VISION! So one day Milo decides to put Mum's powers to the test... A brilliantly funny picture book from bestselling Alex T Smith.
With a beautiful cover illustration by Alex T. Smith, creator of the Claude series, The Haunting of Hiram is a wonderfully spooky young fiction title from the award-winning author of Journey to the River Sea, Eva Ibbotson. 'I will buy your castle,' declared Hiram C. Hopgood. 'But only if there are no ghosts!' Alex MacBuff can't afford to keep his beloved Castle Carra, and an American millionaire has made him an offer he can't refuse. The castle is shipped all the way to Texas, but its ghostly inhabitants, including Krok the Viking warrior and a hell-hound called Cyril, follow their home across the Atlantic. How can Alex stop them haunting Hiram and also save the millionaire's daughter from an evil ransom plot?
With beautiful cover illustration by Alex T. Smith, creator of the Claude series, Dial a Ghost is a wonderfully spooky young fiction title from the award-winning author of Journey to the River Sea, Eva Ibbotson. 'Get me some ghosts,' said Fulton Snodde-Brittle. 'Frightful and dangerous ghosts!' Fulton has gone to the Dial a Ghost agency with an evil plan. He wants to hire some truly terrifying ghosts to scare his nephew Oliver to death. The Shriekers are the most violent and sickening spectres the agency has, but a mix-up means the kind Wilkinson ghosts are sent in their place. Now Oliver has some spooky allies to help him outwit the wicked Snodde-Brittles . . .
With a beautiful cover illustration by Alex T. Smith, creator of the Claude series, The Great Ghost Rescue is a wonderfully spooky young fiction title from the award-winning author of Journey to the River Sea, Eva Ibbotson. 'Nobody knew what had gone wrong with Humphrey. Perhaps it was his ectoplasm . . .' Humphrey the Horrible sounds scary, but he's actually a very friendly skeleton, with twinkling eye sockets and jangling finger bones. Humphrey dreams of being ghastly, like his brother - a screaming skull - or terrifying, like his bloodsucking vampire-bat cousins. But when Humphrey discovers an evil plot to exorcise his family, he finally realizes you don't have to be spine-chillingly fearsome to be a hero.
With a beautiful cover illustration by Alex T. Smith, creator of the Claude series, Not Just A Witch is a wonderfully spooky young fiction title from the award-winning author of Journey to the River Sea, Eva Ibbotson. 'I want you to change the next wicked person you see into a tiger,' demanded Lionel. 'A very large tiger.' Heckie is not just a witch - she's an animal witch, who wants to make the world a better place by transforming evil people into harmless animals, using her incredible Toe of Transformation and her awesome Knuckle of Power. But when slimy Lionel Knapsack charms Heckie, her magic begins to take a darker direction. Her friends, including a cheese wizard and a boy called Daniel, must come to the rescue . . .
Best-loved author Eva Ibbotson had a gift for making magical worlds both come alive and be wonderfully credible. Her hand guides this delightful story of a top-secret school for ghosts where anything and everything unusual can – and does - take place. Despairing at the very low standard of modern day ghosts, the Great Hagges, Fredegonda, Goneril and Drusilla, set up the school to raise standards of haunting. Can they inject some backbone and style into their charges? And can they manage the problems of their two human pupils, Daniel and Charlotte as well? Mountwood School is a riotous place which is making haunting a very serious business! ~ Julia Eccleshare
Shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2010. Shortlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize 2010. A Richard and Judy Children's Book Club selection 2011 - Fluent Readers Irresistibly ridiculous, this is a wonderful and enchanting romp from a master storyteller. Every year at the Summer Meeting of Unusual Creatures the annual task is set. This year, the task is formidable! Ivo, an un-magical boy, a hag, a troll and a wizard all set about it with the greatest misgivings. The question is, once they have got their courage up, will they succeed? ~ Julia Eccleshare ***Eva's son, Toby Ibbotson, is now continuing the tradition of storytelling with his debut novel Mountwood School for Ghosts which is based on an original idea by Eva Ibbotson.
A favourite of November 2010 Guest Editor Jonathan Stroud: "Arriman the Awful, master of black magic and great Wizard of the North, needs an heir. And that means he has to get married. Trouble is, wicked wizards have to marry witches – most of whom are better known for their warts and snaggleteeth than their ravishing beauty. Reluctantly, Arriman organises a competition to find the most powerful witch… and all kinds of treachery, double-dealing and disasters unfold. I’ve always adored Eva Ibbotson’s books, mainly because they are hugely funny, but also because she is superb at creating likeable and unexpected characters, such as the amiable Cyclops servant who wears an eye-patch on his forehead above his single eye, just so he doesn’t startle anyone. The book is also surprisingly dark: underneath the humour there’s lots of satisfyingly nasty and ghoulish goings on. Perfect for anybody who likes fantasy, comedy, horror or mystery… in short – perfect for everyone!"
Eva Ibbotson is the author of numerous award winning novels for children including this, a new cover edition of one of her spookiest and most fantastical adventures in which three kidnapped children must save themselves and their new friends they meet on the bizarre island they are taken to. As with all Eva Ibbotson's novels for children, she draws the reader in through the strength of her storytelling and superb characterisation. ***Eva's son, Toby Ibbotson, is now continuing the tradition of storytelling with his debut novel Mountwood School for Ghosts which is based on an original idea by Eva Ibbotson.
Foxy DuBois is on a mission to get rich quick. Only one thing stands in her way - Alphonso the Alligator! Can Foxy's hair-brained schemes make enough money to keep Alphonso fed? Or will Foxy DuBois find herself on the menu? An hilarious new series for young readers from an award-winning author-illustrator team. Alex's first fiction series - Claude - was selected for the Richard and Judy Children's Book Club and the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize, and he is the World Book Day Illustrator 2014. Caryl has been shortlisted for the Red House Award and won many awards, including the Stockport Award.
Shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2010. Shortlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize 2010. A Richard and Judy Children's Book Club selection 2011 - Fluent Readers Irresistibly ridiculous, this is a wonderful and enchanting romp from a master storyteller. Every year at the Summer Meeting of Unusual Creatures the annual task is set. This year, the task is formidable! Ivo, an un-magical boy, a hag, a troll and a wizard all set about it with the greatest misgivings. The question is, once they have got their courage up, will they succeed? ***Eva's son, Toby Ibbotson, is now continuing the tradition of storytelling with his debut novel Mountwood School for Ghosts which is based on an original idea by Eva Ibbotson.
Shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2010. Shortlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize 2010. Irresistibly ridiculous, this is a wonderful and enchanting romp from a master storyteller. Every year at the Summer Meeting of Unusual Creatures the annual task is set. This year, the task is formidable! Ivo, an un-magical boy, a hag, a troll and a wizard all set about it with the greatest misgivings. The question is, once they have got their courage up, will they succeed?
Eva Ibbotson is one of those rare authors that really delivers believable and utterly captivating characters. Her setting is a castle that is quite fantastical, with some incredibly funny ghosts. And yet readers are drawn in in such a way as to make them feel completely at home and part of the interplay between good and evil. A rollercoaster of a read.
'Get me some ghosts,' said Fulton Snodde-Brittle. 'Frightful and dangerous ghosts!' Fulton has gone to the Dial a Ghost agency with an evil plan. He wants to hire some truly terrifying ghosts to scare his nephew Oliver to death. The Shriekers are the most violent and sickening sceptres the agency has, but a mix-up means the kind Wilkinson ghosts are sent in their place. Now Oliver has some spooky allies to help him outwit the wicked Snodde-Brittles . . . Dial a Ghost is a wonderfully spooky young-fiction title from the award-winning author of Journey to the River Sea, Eva Ibbotson. 'You'll love this chain-rattling, blood-oozingly hilarious story' Daily Telegraph
'I want you to change the next wicked person you see into a tiger,' demanded Lionel. 'A very large tiger' Heckie is not just a witch - she's an animal witch, who wants to make the world a better place by transforming evil people into harmless animals, using her incredible Toe of Transformation and her awesome Knuckle of Power. But when slimy Lionel Knapsack charms Heckie, her magic begins to take a darker direction. Her friends, including a cheese wizard and a boy called Daniel, must come to the rescue . . . With beautiful cover illustration by Alex T. Smith, creator of the Claude series, Not Just A Witch is a wonderfully spooky young-fiction title from the award-winning author of Journey to the River Sea, Eva Ibbotson. 'Eva Ibbotson has assumed the mantle of Roald Dahl.' School Librarian
'I will buy your castle,' declared Hiram C. Hopgood. 'But only if there are no ghosts!' Alex MacBuff can't afford to keep his beloved Castle Carra, and an American millionaire has made him an offer he can't refuse. The castle is shipped all the way to Texas, but its ghostly inhabitants, including Krok the Viking warrior and a hell-hound called Cyril, follow their home across the Atlantic. How can Alex stop them haunting Hiram and also save the millionaire's daughter from an evil ransom plot? The Haunting of Hiram is a wonderfully spooky young-fiction title from the award-winning author of Journey to the River Sea, Eva Ibbotson. 'Funny, gripping, charming and completely irresistible' Amanda Craig 'Eva Ibbotson weaves a magic like no other' Michael Morpurgo
`We must kidnap some children,' announced Aunt Etta. `Young, strong ones. It will be dangerous, but it must be done.' Three children are stolen and taken to a bizarre island, which is home to some extraordinary creatures - including mermaids, selkies and the legendary kraken. The island is the base for a very mysterious mission. But the magical adventure is cut short, when the island is suddenly under siege. Can they save themselves and their new friends? `Funny, gripping, charming and completely irresistible' Amanda Craig
Arriman the Awful, feared Wizard of the North, has decided to marry. But his wife must be a witch of the darkest powers . . . A sorcery competition is held to discover which witch is the most potent and fiendish, and glamorous Madame Olympia conjures up a thousand plague-bearing rats! Belladonna, the white witch, desperately wants to be a wicked enchantress, but her magic produces flowers instead of snakes. How can she become more devilish than all the other witches? 'Eva Ibbotson weaves a magic like no other. Once enchanted, always enchanted.' Michael Morpurgo
Under Platform 13 at Kings Cross Station is hidden a quite remarkable secret. Every nine years a doorway opens to an amazing, fantastical island. Nine years ago, the island's baby prince was stolen on the streets of London. Now a rescue party, led by a wizard and an ogre, must find him and bring him back. But the kind prince has become a spoilt rich boy, who doesn't believe in magic and doesn't want to go home. Can they rescue him before time runs out - and the doorway disappears for ever? `This kind of fun will never fail to delight' Philip Pullman
Under Platform13 at Kings Cross Station there is a secret door that leads to a magical island..... It appears only once every nine years. And when it opens, four mysterious figures step into the streets of London. A wizard, an ogre, a fey and a young hag have come to find the prince of their kingdom, stolen as a baby nine years before. But the prince has become a horrible rich boy called Raymond Trottle who doesn't understand magic and is determined not to be rescued. 'This kind of fun will never fail to delight.' Philip Pullman
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