Mermaid frolics, a daring rescue and a mythical wildcat by various authors – children’s book reviews –

Age 7 plus:

A Mermaid's Diary

Chris Riddell

Mermaids, Moondays, secrets and seahorses... the Costa Award-winning and ever-inventive author and illustrator Chris Riddell makes a welcome return with a sea-soaked new series that sheds a ray of sunshine on every youngster’s summer reading.

Full of Riddell’s richly detailed and intricate black and white illustrations, this utterly charming and comedy-infused fantasy adventure delivers a seductive blend of friendship, underwater fun and imagination as we follow a mermaid who loves to record the escapades of her weird and wonderful friends in her diary.

Shy mermaid Atalanta Scrimshaw lives in the quiet backwater of Sleepy Cove, collects messages in bottles, rides seahorses and enjoys the hobby of ‘walking’ on the beach and visiting friends. Life is perfect until Atalanta learns of plans by developers Bristle & Splinter to transform Sleepy Cove into a luxury seaside golf resort. Realising that this plan will destroy her home, she enlists the help of her friends, old and new, to try to stop it...

With its cast of incredible characters, all the magic of a dazzling underwater world, and Riddell’s trademark wit, inventiveness and exciting storytelling, A Mermaid's Diary is must reading for all fantasy fans... and guarantees fun all the way when you ‘book’ a holiday in Sleepy Cove!

(Macmillan Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 10 plus:

Wendington Jones and the Lost Legacy

Daniel Dockery

How far would you chase someone that the world thinks is dead? History, mystery and thrilling adventures blend perfectly in an exciting and imaginative new instalment of award-winning writer Daniel Dockery’s action-packed Wendington Jones series.

Young readers will be on the edge of their seats as our plucky heroine Wendington sets out on a daring mission to rescue the last Russian Tsar’s daughter, Anastasia Romanov, from clutches of the evil and predatory monk Rasputin.

Wendington Jones, daughter, friend and adventurer, needed a mystery. Little did she know, she’d find one tending to the roses in the middle of a winter’s night. However it was no strange gardener at her house... but instead the supposedly dead Russian monk, Rasputin, on the search for Anastasia Romanov, a young girl who, like Wendington, had died under tragic circumstances. And also, much like Wendington, the young royal’s death had not stuck. And now she was on the run for her life... from history, from Rasputin and from others after her power to seemingly save herself from death. Wendington and her long-suffering valet Rohant rush across Europe to give chase to the Tsar’s missing daughter, hoping to save her from Rasputin, as well as some old foes of Wendington. The Dominos haven’t fallen yet and they’re willing to kill others to save themselves. Horse races, masked-balls and diplomatic nights at the opera set the scene where adventure clashes with high society, and it’s not just the fashion that has a cutting edge.

Full of old-fashioned charm, Wendington’s adventures pack in a timeless sense of fun and youthful exuberance, and always deliver a cast of real and fictional characters who cannot help but capture the imagination (and hearts!) of all fans of history and mystery.

(UCLan Publishing, paperback, £8.99)

Age 9 plus:

Land of the Last Wildcat

Lui Sit and David Dean

Meet a magical creature called the kuri... its survival is under threat and it’s up to two youngsters to keep it safe from a scheming scientist. Adventure, mythology and magic collide in a burst of brilliant storytelling and impressive illustration as prize-winning debut author Lui Sit and artist David Dean launch Land of the Last Wildcat, first book of a bold, original and vibrant new series packed with important environmental messages.

Puffin Lau has two problems... her beloved scientist mum barely speaks to her, and a mythical wildcat called the kuri is depending on her for its survival. Luckily, Puffin grew up on stories of the kuri and its magical powers, and she will stop at nothing to return it to its rightful home. But standing in her way is the ominous Professor Smoult, a money-hungry scientist who wants to capture the kuri and steal its magic. Faced with a mammoth journey to the faraway Linger Island, Puffin and her best friend Lance must evade the professor and save the last wildcat before it's too late.

Family, friendship and the vital role of conservation take leading roles in this wild, wonderful and heart-pounding story which celebrates the beauty of the natural world and is the perfect match for young adventurers and all animal fans.

(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus:

Café Chaos: My Family Is Not a Piece of Cake

Catherine Wilkins and Katie Abey

There are few things in life more important than family so join a hilarious girl called Hope Crumble and enjoy a giant serving of cakes, coffee and calamity! Hope and her lovable (but infuriating!) family take starring roles in this delightful new series written by much-loved author Catherine Wilkins and highly illustrated throughout by the brilliant Katie Abey.

Welcome to Café Chaos! Running a bustling café is Hope’s family's dream... it’s just not hers! While Dad and Gran battle it out in the kitchen, Mum tries to balance the books and serve quiche to hordes of hungry pensioners. Meanwhile, Hope’s dramatic sister Stacey is determined to turn all of life into a stage and her ‘wishes-he-was-on-Wall-Street’ cousin Connor decides to buy novelty costumes to advertise the business. And then Auntie Rita rocks up... Café Crumble is soon tipping straight into Café Chaos! Luckily for her family, Hope is there to save the day, although ideally this wouldn’t involve dressing up as a giant ice cream and dancing outside the school gates. You’ll laugh (a lot), you’ll cry (with even more laughter), and you may develop a strange yearning for caroons (whatever they are!).

Friendship, family, pulling together, and being uniquely yourself, all come under Wilkins’ watchful eye in a series that will touch the hearts of every youngster who has ever cringed at their family’s goings-on... but loved them all the same!

(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)

Age 8 plus:

EPIC FACTopia! Follow the Trail of 400 Extreme Facts

Rose Davidson and Andy Smith

When you are invited to follow an ingenious trail of 400 dazzling facts about daredevils, death-defying stunts, world records, wacky weather, extreme sports and unusual animals, it can only mean one thing... FACTopia! is back and this time it’s EPIC!

Written by American writer, editor and researcher Rose Davidson and the Britannica Group, and brought to life by amazing photographs and award-winning Andy Smith’s witty and wonderful illustrations, EPIC FACTopia! is the eighth title in the dynamic and bestselling FACTopia! series created by the inventive boffins at Britannica Books and this time round, takes readers on an enthralling and hilarious journey through the universe’s most mind-blowing, extreme facts.

Guaranteed to keep children entertained during spring and summer holidays, this epic fact-trail lets them choose their own path on an amazing journey in which they dine inside a volcano and waterslide through a shark-filled lagoon. They will also meet a cat worth $97million, a goat who can ride a surfboard and a daredevil who skydived from space. And there isn’t just one path through these facts... follow detours along the way to see where your curiosity will take you!

With facts verified by the experts at Encyclopaedia Britannica and lavishly illustrated with Smith’s illustrations combining artwork and photography, Epic FACTopia! uncovers some of the world’s most wow-worthy, awe-inspiring and unbelievable facts, and is a joy ride from start to finish. And that’s a fact!

(Britannica Books, hardback, £10.99)

Age 8 plus:

Stitch Head: The Pirate’s Eye Graphic Novel

Guy Bass and Pete Williamson

He’s not quite Frankenstein’s monster but Stitch Head, a mad professor’s forgotten creation, certainly has adventure stories all sewn up! Who can forget the freakishly funny tales of award-winning author Guy Bass’ not-so-scary little monster who was brought to ‘almost-life’ by illustrator Pete Williamson in a hugely successful series.

And now we can share all the guffaws and giggles again in the second monstrously magnificent graphic novel edition of the series which sees Stitch Head step out of the shadows and into his madcap world.

When Stitch Head sees his ice-blue eye for the very first time, he is convinced that it once belonged to the legendary pirate, Captain Flashpowder. Could it be that he is part-pirate? But as Stitch Head prepares for a life of derring-do on the high seas, some fishy business closer to home puts a stop to his swashbuckling plans...

This funny, accessible, fast-paced, full-colour, graphic book series is perfect for reluctant readers who like their stories to be visually appealing and the action to unfold at breakneck speed. Brimming with atmosphere, excitement, captivating characters and chaotic humour, Stitch Head is simply packed with monstrous fun... no surprise then that the first Stitch Head book is soon to be a major motion picture!

(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £8.99)

Age 7 plus:

Reggie Rabbit: Robbery at the Masqued Ball

Swapna Reddy and Becka Moor

He might be small, but Reggie Rabbit, Detective, will keep this big city safe! Welcome back to the wonderful world of Reggie and his family, friends and detective partner Pipsquark in the third book of a simply delightful series that blends illustrated fiction with a graphic novel. Reggie Rabbit is the dazzling creation of New Zealand-based author Swapna Reddy and Manchester illustrator Becka Moor, and is set in an alluring Gotham-like animal city. It’s time for the grandest event in Bearburgh... the Masque family’s Masqued Ball! And this year it's even more exciting because famous pop star Kitty Qita is going to perform. Young detectives Reggie Rabbit and Pipsquark are there... as waiters for Auntie Hibiscus’s catering company. But not everything goes to plan. In the middle of Kitty Qita’s big act, the lights go out, and the guests’ jewels are stolen. It’s a tough case, but Reggie and Pipsquark are on it! Does the answer lie in the mean streets of Dog Lane as the clues suggest, or is there more to this mystery than meets the eye? Reddy – who also writes as Swapna Haddow – has a happy knack of always delivering stories filled with warm friendships, madcap adventures and lots of laughs. Add on Moor’s illustrations, influenced by crime noir and vintage comics, and you have an early reading, all-round winner!

(Oxford University Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 5 plus:

Kitty and the Clifftop Peril

Paula Harrison and Jenny Løvlie

When you’re a girl by day and a cat by night, adventures are never far away! Author Paula Harrison and illustrator Jenny Løvlie work their special magic on this fun-filled first chapter book series which features enchanting adventures with feisty feline star Kitty and her cat crew on moonlit missions.

Beautifully presented and densely illustrated in tones of grey and orange on almost every page, superhero Kitty’s magical stories are simply purrfect for both cat lovers, young adventurers and all newly confident readers.

Fearless Kitty is a superhero-in-training with feline superpowers. She dreams of being just like her superhero mum one day, but she’s still got a lot to learn. In this exciting new adventure, we join Kitty and her family while they are on a seaside holiday at Pebble Cove. It should mean a break from superhero adventures but there’s trouble in the sleepy little fishing town. Someone, or something, is stealing fish and causing chaos down by the harbour. When Kitty’s old feline friend Cutlass the pirate cat gets the blame, she knows it’s time to put on her superhero cape, catch the culprit, and save the day!

Enjoy cheeky cats, nautical naughtiness and giggles galore as the merry band of moggies set sail on a daring new mission!

(Oxford University Press, paperback, £6.99)

Age 5 plus:

SuperQuesters: Mission: River Crest Rescue

Paul Ian Cross, Katie Kear and Cherie Zamazing

Set sail on an exciting adventure in a unique interactive story that will need your brainpower to help solve a mystery... and save the day! SuperQuesters: Mission: River Crest Rescue is the latest magical adventure in the brilliantly brainy SuperQuesters first chapter book series which aims to fire up imaginations and inspire scientists, engineers, mathematicians and technology experts of the future.

When best friends Lilli, Leo and Bea open an ancient chest and discover an old board game, Questland, their day takes an unexpected twist. Magically transported to the kingdom of Questland, the trio find they have become the SuperQuesters and have amazing superpowers. Now called Lillicorn, Leo Zoom and Bea Bumble, they have been summoned to save the village of River Crest which evil goblin gardener, Mortifer, wants to destroy. Can the SuperQuesters stop Mortifer’s Beaver Bots building dams to flood the village? And what can they do about his lethal Dragonfly Drones sowing seeds of poisonous plants? With the help of Clover the fairy and other magical creatures, the SuperQuesters must use their STEM skills, teamwork, problem solving and a little magic to solve puzzles, crack secret codes and outsmart Mortifer on their mission to save River Crest.

This exciting new adventure story – written by Paul Ian Cross and illustrated by Katie Kear and Cherie Zamazing – is embedded with real-life fun facts, puzzles, STEM activities and experiments to try at home or school, with the added bonus of a map and glossary. Expertly designed to support the National Curriculum for Key Stage 1 and 2 and develop children’s STEM skills in fun and creative new ways, this is the perfect book for youngsters eager to discover their multi-tasking, inner superhero!

(QuestFriendz, paperback, £6.99)

Age 5 plus:

Marv and the Duck of Doom

Alex Falase-Koya and Paula Bowles

Step up, step up... Superhero Marv is back and this time he’s up against a new generation of super villain! There’s no ducking out of all the fun and frolics in the eighth book of an exciting and action-packed series from award-winning writer Alex Falase-Koya and star illustrator Paula Bowles. When ordinary boy Marvin wears his super-suit – powered by kindness and imagination – he becomes MARV, a superhero with infinite abilities. In his new adventure, Marvin meets a blast from his grandad’s past when the Duck of Doom shows up at the park, controlled by a new generation of super villain-Professor Feather 2.0. It’s time for Marvin to become MARV... unstoppable, invincible, and totally MARVellous! With the Ducklings of Doom also hot on his heels, the odds are stacked against MARV. Along with his and his robot sidekick Pixel, MARV is going to have to ruffle some feathers in order to put these dastardly ducks back in their place. Kindness, resilience and courage are all celebrated in these thrill-filled MARV adventures which are brought to vibrant life by Bowles’ eye-caching two-tone illustrations. You’d be quackers to miss out on the fun!

(Oxford University Press, paperback, £6.99)

Age 3 plus:

Good Golden Sun

Brendan Wenzel

Hope, wonder and curiosity shine out from every page of this truly ‘enlightening’ picture book which celebrates the golden glories of the sun. Good Golden Sun is written and illustrated by bestselling author and illustrator Brendan Wenzel, an ardent conservationist and collaborator with organisations working to ensure the future of wild places and threatened creatures.

A bold and playful exploration of how the sun touches all life on earth, the book uses a lyrical text and stunning light-and-shade artwork to discover facts about the good golden sun. Are you happy? Are you lonely? Are you feeling well today? Does your belly ever ache? Won’t you come down to play? From sunbeam, to flower, to insect, to animal, to plant, to soil, and the earth itself, the sun makes, moves, and transforms life all around us.

From dawn to sunset, the book celebrates the mysteries of light as it weaves its way through the world. Using bold, youthful collage-style art, Wenzel's mastery of visual storytelling, with a clue before every page turn of what might come, adds to the bold and playful exploration of the life-giving power of our nearest star. Sunshine all the way...

(Scallywag Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus:

The Ocean’s Heartbeat: The Story of a Jellyfish in Search of a Heart

dame & dusa

Readers’ hearts are guaranteed to be stolen when they open the pages of this gorgeous picture book which stars a little jellyfish in search of her heart. Written by dame & dusa – pen name of Annegret Haider, Dagmar Krause, Andrea Hesse, Anna Krumpholz, and Hanna Pohlmeyer-Abert, three designers and two architects who live in Austria – this inventive story is their homage to the uniqueness of every living creature on Earth and has been translated from the German by Anna Taube.

In the depths of the big wide sea, the little jellyfish hears a loud THOOMP. What is this mysterious sound? A wise fish explains that the loud THOOMP is a heartbeat. The jellyfish listens to the soft heartbeat of the wise fish. Sadly, she realises she has no heartbeat herself though, and she still needs to find the very loud THOOMP. So off she swims to search for it. Along the way, she meets all kinds of creatures and learns about their heartbeats, from the seal to the whale to the octopus which has three hearts! But why can’t she hear her own? Packed with magical collage illustrations and fascinating scientific facts, including extra pages about the unique hearts of more amazing creatures, this entertaining book conveys the incredible diversity of life on Earth, and encourages everyone to love how they are different and to celebrate being themselves. A joy to read aloud!

(DK Children, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus:

I'm Going to Make a Friend

Darren Chetty and Sandhya Prabhat

Whether you’re moving house or moving to a new school, finding new friends can be challenging for many nervous youngsters. So here’s the perfect antidote... a heartwarming and original take on the nature of friendship from teacher, philosopher and debut picture book author Darren Chetty. Brought to vibrant life by the bold, colourful and magical illustrations of Sandhya Prabhat, I'm Going to Make a Friend uses a pared-back text to explore the myriad of emotions – from feeling vulnerable to plucking up courage – that it takes to form meaningful relationships. Moving neighbourhood comes with many challenges, especially making new friends. How long will it take? Will they play how I want to play? Will they hug me when I'm sad, or give me space? So many questions you want to ask! But in the end, the only thing you can do is dive in and give it a go. With creative words and pictures bringing the story to life, and celebrating the power of imagination, this beautiful book is the perfect story to share with children moving schools or home, or anyone who struggles to form connections.

(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus:

All the Wonderful Ways to Move

Laura Baker and Sandra de la Prada

Help little ones discover the joy of physical activity and fitness in all its forms with this high-energy, rhyming picture book. All the family will be bouncing along with the words and action as the perfectly titled All the Wonderful Ways to Move opens up a whole world of stomping, jumping, bending and hopping. ‘Jump up off your bottom and get in the groove! Wiggle your body, let’s see how you MOVE! We'll start nice and simple, just lift up your feet. STOMP STOMP STOMP and feel the beat.’ From an energetic warm up, to a wacky freestyle section and a calming cool down, there could be no better way to encourage little ones to get active. Carefully and imaginatively written by Laura Baker and illustrated with warmth and wit by Sandra de la Prada, this playful book will inspire your children to find their own wonderful way of moving.

(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)