Kids Book Club – May 2012

0-4 years

Oh No, George!

Chris Haughton

9781406332254

£11.99

Oh No, George!When Harry leaves the house, he makes his faithful hound George promise to behave. George, bless him, does try, but there's too much temptation around the place: plant pots full of soil, a scrummy looking cake, a highly chaseable cat... When Harry gets back, the house is a tip, and poor George is exceedingly contrite. Pre-school readers will know all about the dilemmas of doing what you should versus doing what you like. This elevates that struggle into a joyous, riotous romp. It's all rendered in very stylish, unusually colourful illustrations: in particular, George is adorably expressive. Haughton's first picture book, A Bit Lost, was an award-winner: on this showing, he's very much on form.  

4-6 years

The Worst Princess

Anna Kemp / Sara Ogilvie

9781847388766

£5.99

The Worst PrincessKemp and Ogilvie made a big splash a couple of years back with Dogs Don't Do Ballet. Their new offering is equally intent on upending expectations. Young Princess Sue lives in a castle, awaiting the arrival of her knight in shining armour – because that's what happens to princesses, isn't it? Except, when her prince finally rides up, Sue finds the whole business dull and stifling. In fact she's far more on a wavelength with the local dragon.The prince had better watch his step. Sue won't be content to sit tight and take a back seat. Bouncy, lively, beautifully illustrated, and dripping with wit and panache, this is a neat, funny riposte to the Rainbow Fairy school of gender stereotypes. If you've got altogether too much pink about the house, this might be the antidote.

6-8 years

Guinea Pigs Online

Jennifer Gray / Amanda Swift

£4.99

9780857389909

Guinea Pigs OnlineThere's no getting away from the fact that modern youngsters need to get to grips with the internet. This finds a neat way of tackling that. Our cuddly heroes Coco and Fuzzy are very keen on technology, and hog the house computer even more than their owners do. When Fuzzy emails a local celebrity chef, and duly goes to meet him, it falls to Coco to track him down – and worryingly, she discovers that many guinea pigs from the neighbourhood have been disappearing of late. There's a very delicate edge to this, in educating readers about some online perils, but it's nimbly done. Mostly it's a feather-light, fun adventure, allowing us to get acquainted with irrepressible Fuzzy and high-minded Coco. Further volumes are set to follow – and the guinea pigs really are online: they even have their own Twitter account.

9-12 years

Small Change for Stuart

Lissa Evans

9780552561693

£5.99

Small Change For StuartStuart is ten, and small for his age. When his family relocates to his father's spawning ground of Beeton, Stuart's almost expecting to get teased. What he isn't anticipating is that he'll make some important new friends as he finds out all about his enigmatic late great uncle and his elusive workshop. On the way there will be puzzles and conundrums a-plenty, liberal lashings of humour, and more than a hint of magic. It might seem back-handed to say it, but Harry Potter fans seeking their next book will be well served here. It's brimming with personality, and a very beguiling, slowly unfolding sense of mystery. Beeton is a very vivid, evocative setting. It's genuinely funny, too, as well it might be: Evans was formerly a TV comedy producer, with Father Ted and Have I Got News For You on her CV. Small Change for Stuart has been garlanded with award nominations and the follow-up, Big Change for Stuart, is being published in hardback simultaneously.