March Book of the Month
|
|
He has a dashing hat. He has a packed lunch. And he is very keen. So when Boudicca Bones from the Museum calls for help, Mr Penguin springs into action. Can he and Colin the spider find her missing treasure? And what happens when adventuring becomes DANGEROUS?
Mr. Penguin and his side-kick, Colin the spider, are called in to solve a mystery when treasure goes missing from the local museum. It has been weeks since Mr Penguin’s last adventure and he’s been stuck at his desk, twiddling his flippers ever since. That is until the phone rings! Their quest finds them solving secret codes, fighting ferocious beasts, eating fish finger sandwiches and travelling deep below the museum to a lost jungle… An exuberant adventure with lovable, quirky characters; this is the first book in the series. Accompanied throughout by Alex T. Smith’s brilliant illustrations. Great for 7-9 year olds.
The Clockwork Crow is a mysterious Gothic Christmas tale by Catherine Fisher, set in a frost-bound Victorian country mansion.
When orphaned Seren Rhys is given a newspaper parcel by a stranger late at night in a freezing Victorian train station, she has no idea what trouble it contains. She is heading for a new life in the remote country house of Plas-y-Fran. But when she gets there, the happy Christmas she hoped for turns out to be an illusion. Armed with a talking bird who might not be telling the truth, a magical snow globe and bags of courage, Seren sets off on a perilous midnight journey into an enchanted world of snow and stars to bring happiness back to Plas-y-Fran.
This engaging, well-written fantasy, with likeable main characters and suitably creepy villains, makes for a fast paced magical read. Suitable for 8-12 year olds. Great for fans of the Cogheart series by Peter Bunzl and Tin by Padraig Kenny. Not just a Christmas read!
Santa is ever so busy in the run up to Christmas. He’s got presents to wrap, reindeers to wake and a sleigh to start. But has he forgotten something? And will he be ready on time……
A fun, fresh take on an old poem from one of our favourite picture book authors. Great stuff for reading aloud and a must for every Christmas book collection.
‘Twas the night before the night before Christmas(That’s Christmas Eve Eve),
and Santa was wiping his brow on his sleeve.
Green elves were sewing,
blue elves were counting,
Red elves were carving,
the pressure was mounting!
I don’t normally “do” Disney but this is great collection of creative crafts and activities inspired by Disney characters and films. Featuring favourite characters from Frozen, Toy Story, Moana, Inside Out and Cinderella, there really is something for everybody, whatever their level of ability. There are top tips on every page to help make your creations a success, as well as fun Disney facts to pore over. Suitable for children and adults alike. Great stuff!
Inside The Villains by Clotilde Perrin is a fabulous novelty book which reveals the secrets of some of our best known fairy tale villains.
Lift the flaps to see what’s going on inside each villain’s head. See what’s hiding beneath their disguise and who was the victim of their last meal! Find out what giants, wolves and witches like to eat…..what their favourite pastimes are and of course what are their favourite books!
Full of humour and detail which will appeal to children (and adults) of all ages, this beautifully produced book would make a great addition to any fairy tale collection and a lovely gift book too.
When Fionn Boyle sets foot on Arranmore Island, it begins to stir beneath his feet …Once in a generation, Arranmore Island chooses a new Storm Keeper to wield its power and keep its magic safe from enemies.
The time has come for Fionn’s grandfather, a secretive and eccentric old man, to step down.
Soon, a new Keeper will rise. But, deep underground, someone has been waiting for Fionn. As the battle to become the island’s next champion rages, a more sinister magic is waking up, intent on rekindling an ancient war.
Catherine Doyle’s magical, mystical adventure is an absolute must read. A beautifully written story with engaging characters which builds up to a nail biting climax. The description of the island and the elements completely draws you in. You can almost taste the salty tang of the sea and hear the crashing waves as you are swept along by the wild weather. Story telling at it’s best. The open ending hopefully means that there are more Storm Keeper adventures to come…can’t wait.
The Storm Keeper’s Island is available to loan as a class reading set.
Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett. But there’s a hundred thousand dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.
Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.
In his long-awaited return, John Green’s poignant, at times poetic prose, gives us a thought provoking insight into what it’s like to live with a mental illness. But it’s much more than that ….it’s also about love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship. This book reaches into your soul.
London, 1922.
A discovery from ancient Egypt… A cursed package… The untold story of a young pharaoh…
When Lilian Kaye finds a parcel on her grandad’s doorstep, she is shocked to see who sent it: a famous Egyptologist, found dead that very morning, according to every newspaper in England! The mysterious package holds the key to a story… about a king whose tomb archaeologists are desperately hunting for. Now Lil and her friends must embark on an incredible journey – to return the package to its resting place, to protect those they love, and to break the deadly pharaoh’s curse.
Engaging from the start, Emma Carroll returns with a classic exploration story that takes readers on an enthralling journey to Egypt. Full of twists and turns, sinister discoveries and deadly curses, Secrets of a Sun King is ideal for fans of historical fiction. A good read.
Imagine if, on an ordinary day, war came and turned your town to rubble. Imagine if you had to make a dangerous journey all alone, with no welcome at the end. Imagine if you had lost everything and everyone, and then a child, just like you, gave you something small but very, very precious….
A powerful picture book about the journey of a child forced to become a refugee when war destroys everything she has ever known. Prompted by the government’s refusal to allow 3000 child refugees to enter this country in 2016, Nicola Davies wrote a poem. It started a campaign for which artists contributed drawings of chairs, symbolising a seat in a classroom, kindness and hope of a future. The poem has become this emotive and uplifting book, movingly illustrated by Rebecca Cobb.