0-4 years
Socks
Nick Sharratt / Elizabeth Lindsay
9780857560377
£10.99
If anything can be relied upon to grab the attention of little readers, it's the combination of a vivid visuals, a sense of ridiculous and a silly rhyme. Plus the mention of underwear. Made to that very recipe, Pants! by Nick Sharratt and Giles Andreae, has become a modern classic. Now Sharratt's teamed up with co-writer Lindsay to bring us this glimpse into Sockland. With a rallying cry of 'Sockywockydoodah!' we meet a whole host of vivid sock animals, from sockerels to sockodiles. And just guess what Goldisocks has instead of hair? Containing, as you can see, more sock puns than you can shake a stick – or indeed a sock – at, with a stream of bold illustrations in Sharratt's signature style, this is a refreshingly simple, hyper-colourful blast.
4-6 years
The Treasure of Captain Claw
Jonathan Emmett / Steve Cox
9781846167416
£5.99
There's no resisting a picture book that stops off halfway through to become a fold-out technical cutaway of a gargantuan pirate submarine. This is an adventurous, twisty-turny tale of two easy-going dog pals who discover a treasure map – though when it comes to it they're more interested in snacks than they are in booty. Much more keen is their greedy nemesis, the crocodile Captain Claw, but he's right on course to get his comeuppance. Stinky cheese is involved. Hugely likeable seafaring hi-jinks from the author of Bringing Down the Moon and Pigs Might Fly.
6-8 years
The Sleeping Army
Francesca Simon
9781846682780
£9.99
Stories about Vikings have always appealed to youngsters, all the way from Noggin the Nog right up to How to Train Your Dragon. But it's not necessarily a subject that's easy to breathe life into. Francesca Simon, the creator of Horrid Henry, hereby hot-wires all that business with longboats and horned helmets by posing a great big 'What if?' - namely, what if modern religions never took hold, and as of 2012 we still worshipped the Norse gods? In fact, the main character, Freya, summons those gods back into action, and finds herself in Asgard fighting to save beleaguered, dog-eared deities like Thor, Tyr and Odin. If she fails, they'll all become museum pieces – literally.
It's rip-snorting stuff, full of excitement, and lashings of Simon's trademark daft humour too. Essentially it's set in England as we know it, but just a step to one side: there's a landmark sculpture called Valkyrie of the North, and atheists rail again the tyranny of Woden. Actually, though, the bickering, flawed gods turn out to be very entertaining company.
9-12 years
A Year Without Autumn
Liz Kessler
9781444003215
£6.99
Kessler is well established as author of the mermaid-tastic Emily Windsnap series, but with this book she leads older readers into rather deeper waters. It centres on the friendship between two young girls, sensible Jenni and bohemian Autumn. Jenni and her family go to visit Autumn once a year, but this time something goes awry. Jenni enters the lift up to Autumn's apartment - and comes out a year into the future. In the meantime tiny events have had major consequences, and Autumn's life is now in total disarray. But as Jenny uncovers the truth about her unexpected time-hop, she realises she has the opportunity to set things right.
Though it hinges on a sci-fi concept, this is anchored in present-day reality and sympathetic three-dimensional characters, told in the first person from poor Jenni's perspective. Kessler (a former Chorltonite) even delivers some harder-edged subject matter about family troubles with a fine lightness of touch. It's now in the running for this year's Blue Peter Book award, and for very good reason.
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M21 9AW
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