The Bear Who Wanted to DanceStephanie Stansbie and Wendy J WarrenLittle Tiger Follow your dreams no matter whoever or whatever you are, is the message that shines through this story of Rita the bea…

The Bear Who Wanted to DanceStephanie Stansbie and Wendy J WarrenLittle Tiger Follow your dreams no matter whoever or whatever you are, is the message that shines through this story of Rita the bear who was inspired by the very first ballet she saw and knew in her heart that she too wanted to become a dancer. She took lessons with Monsieur le Fox where she met Wanda and the two became firm friends dreaming of their lives in dance.

The Diary of Wiska Wildflower: The New SchoolHarriet MuncasterOxford Children’s Books Oozing with charm from cover to cover is Harriet Muncaster’s first book in her new series. It stars Wiska Wildf…

The Diary of Wiska Wildflower: The New SchoolHarriet MuncasterOxford Children’s Books Oozing with charm from cover to cover is Harriet Muncaster’s first book in her new series. It stars Wiska Wildflower, who has moved with her Mum and Dad from Twitching to Acorn, on the other side of Wiskling Wood. where they’ve bought a new business. Wiska has to start at a new school, Inkcap’s Academy, and she’s very upset to be so far from her best friend, Luna.

I’m Going To Eat A Polar BearKarl Newson and Nicola KinnearHappy Yak Despite being very hungry, a little penguin turns down the offer of fish, declaring it boring and instead demanding ‘something n…

I’m Going To Eat A Polar BearKarl Newson and Nicola KinnearHappy Yak Despite being very hungry, a little penguin turns down the offer of fish, declaring it boring and instead demanding ‘something new. Something soft … and fluffy!’ One of the older penguins recalls hearing of something matching that description called a ‘bolar pear’. Off sets the little penguin, full of bravado, on a mission to find and eat a bolar pear, despite not knowing what such a creature actually looks like.

Squirrel and BirdLaura Baker and Stacey ThomasLittle Tiger Squirrel and Bird are best friends and the external narrator introducing them emphasises their difference: ‘Squirrel is loud! Very LOUD!’ …

Squirrel and BirdLaura Baker and Stacey ThomasLittle Tiger Squirrel and Bird are best friends and the external narrator introducing them emphasises their difference: ‘Squirrel is loud! Very LOUD!’ Bird, on the other hand, ‘hardly makes a sound at all.’ ‘Squirrel is busy. Busy, busy, busy!’ Bird though, ‘prefers to sit and do nothing.’ This way of describing them really annoys Bird as the comments are not the whole picture - far from it.

Gordon in the CityAlex LatimerOxford Children’s Books Gordon the erstwhile ‘meanest Goose on Earth’ is now, thanks to Anthony the Piglet, a reformed character. Indeed it’s been almost twelve months since he started trying to be good.One day as he walks home feeling happy with his new self, he sees a letter pinned to his door. It’s an invitation to present the trophy for the Meanest Goose on Earth to this year’s winner.

Grimogen Darkstar: Bat-Cat-TastropheEmma Finlayson-PalmerTiny Tree Books Young Grimogen Darkstar or Immi as she prefers to be called, desperately wants a pet, even more so when the team from Howler’s Rescue Centre bring animals into her school for a special day. “Maybe I’ll meet my future first pet,” she says. First though she has to prove to her parents that she is sufficiently responsible to care for one.

Mallory Vayle and Maggoty Skull in The Beast from BeneathMartin Howard, illustrated by Pete WilliamsonNosy Crow This story is the sequel to Mallory Vayle and the Curse of Maggoty Skull. Mallory is …

Mallory Vayle and Maggoty Skull in The Beast from BeneathMartin Howard, illustrated by Pete WilliamsonNosy Crow This story is the sequel to Mallory Vayle and the Curse of Maggoty Skull. Mallory is now becoming accustomed to her recently discovered powers as a necromancer and this 2nd book is full of dark humour. It begins with Mallory and Maggoty out together; Maggoty walks past the Les Wigs shop, the result being that Maggoty, who has a particular penchant for wigs, demands that she finds the money to purchase Eleganza, the hairpiece with ostrich feathers on display in the window.

Scarlet MorningN.D.StevensonHarper 360 Since their bad-tempered caretaker, Hestur, disappeared, Viola (fourteen) and Wilmur (fifteen) have lived alone, scavenging, reading The Book and making up ga…

Scarlet MorningN.D.StevensonHarper 360 Since their bad-tempered caretaker, Hestur, disappeared, Viola (fourteen) and Wilmur (fifteen) have lived alone, scavenging, reading The Book and making up games on a dead island in Dickerson’s Sea. Hestur told the children about how the land was ravaged by salt after a terrible event - the Great Blow. This happened after Scarlet Morning, a bloodthirsty pirate had murdered the much-loved queen, Hail Meridian and taken her crown, so it was said.

Chicken in the KitchenNeal ZetterTroika Books Subtitled Neal Zetter’s Greatest Hits, this lively book contains the forty two most frequently requested poems by children during two decades of school…

Chicken in the KitchenNeal ZetterTroika Books Subtitled Neal Zetter’s Greatest Hits, this lively book contains the forty two most frequently requested poems by children during two decades of school visits, plus two bonus ones, and covers choices from the performance poet’s eight previously published books: From his first, Bees in My Bananas, comes one of my favourites - …

The Last ResortErin Estrada KellyScholastic It’s the start of the summer break. Lila Clement goes into one of her panics when she’s told she and her brother, Caleb, have to accompany her parents on…

The Last ResortErin Estrada KellyScholastic It’s the start of the summer break. Lila Clement goes into one of her panics when she’s told she and her brother, Caleb, have to accompany her parents on a long drive to Ohio for a fortnight’s stay for her paternal grandfather’s funeral. She’s never even met this grandfather, so why bother. They’ll stay for a while in the creepy old Victorian Castle Hill Inn that Grandpa Clement owned.

I Definitely Don’t Like the DarkFiona Barker and Christine PymScholastic The two delightful squirrel best friends, Hank and Hoog, return in another of the I Definitely Don’t Like stories. After an …

I Definitely Don’t Like the DarkFiona Barker and Christine PymScholastic The two delightful squirrel best friends, Hank and Hoog, return in another of the I Definitely Don’t Like stories. After an enjoyable day together, as the sun sets the friends start to head for home when Hoog remarks on the long length of his shadow. Hank speeds up eager to get home before dark.

SkulkmoorHana TookePuffin Books Time was, the great house of Skulkmoor stood proudly on a hillside capturing the attention of all who passed by. Nowadays, it’s a peculiar puzzle of a place, in part…

SkulkmoorHana TookePuffin Books Time was, the great house of Skulkmoor stood proudly on a hillside capturing the attention of all who passed by. Nowadays, it’s a peculiar puzzle of a place, in part on account of a huge wall that cuts the place in half and separates the two opposing families that live within. This is because many years ago, the Fox family was torn apart by an incident dubbed as murder, and a dispute about inheritance: without an obvious heir, the huge family fortune - and the house - has been divided into two.

The Skeleton PuzzleLisa ThompsonScholastic The young detectives of Chestnut Close - Matthew, Melody and Jake - return to try and solve another mystery. A skeleton is discovered buried in the garden of their neighbour, Old Nina and the three are determined to find out who it is, how it got there and who was responsible. Jake has also found what looks like a wedding ring.