100 Hugs by Chris Riddell
PB £5.99 published by Macmillan Children’s Books
AGE 3+
This beautiful book features a variety of illustrations from animals to aliens, families and friends; perfectly conveying warmth, humour and love in many different ways. Some familiar fairytale faces also make an appearance like Alice in Wonderland, the Three Little Pigs and Pinocchio. Throughout the book you will find poignant quotes from famous writers including Charlotte Bronte, Oscar Wilde and Alfred Lord Tennyson. The perfect uplifting book to melt your heart and put a smile on your face in the darkest of times.
Aalfred and Aalbert by Morag Hood
HB £11.99 published by Two Hoots
AGE 3+
An adorable love story between two aardvarks that are only a hair’s breadth away from meeting but their paths never cross… until some much needed meddling by a determined bird. Aalfred and Aalbert both need a pal. But Aalfred sleeps in the day, and Aalbert sleeps at night. How will they ever get the chance to meet? Bird conjures up a series of sillier and sillier schemes to get them into the same place, but their paths simply refuse to cross. Until one day, when they find each other in the most unexpected way.
Hotel Flamingo by Alex Milway
PB £6.99 published by Piccadilly Press
AGE 7+
Part of an enchanting four-book series featuring the adventures of Anna and her array of animal friends. When young Anna inherits a dilapidated once-grand hotel from her Great Aunt Mathilde, she’s determined to restore it to its former glory. But this is no ordinary hotel – all of her staff and the guests are animals! Whether it’s a flamingo, a penguin or a hippo knocking at the door, Anna is ready to welcome them all. As she soon finds out, though, running an animal hotel is no easy task. Can Anna make Hotel Flamingo a success once more?
Charlie Changes into a Chicken by Sam Copeland
PB £6.99 published by Puffin Books
AGE 8+
Charlie McGuffin is an optimist, but things are conspiring against him. He’s worried about his brother (who’s in hospital), his parents (who are panicking) and the school bully (who has Charlie in his sights). The thing is, Charlie’s never been stressed before – not properly, sweatily, heartpumpingly stressed. And this is bad, because Charlie’s just learnt that when he gets stressed, he turns into an animal. A flea. A pigeon. A rhino. Who knows what’s next? With the help of his three best friends, Charlie needs to find a way to deal with his crazy new power – and fast. Brilliantly funny with a heartwarming message that touches on how children cope with stress.
To Night Owl From Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan & Meg Wolitzer
PB £6.99 published by Egmont
AGE 9+
From two extraordinary authors comes their moving, exuberant, laugh-out-loud novel about friendship and family, told entirely in emails and letters. Avery (Night Owl) is bookish, intense, likes to plan ahead, and is afraid of many things. Bett (Dogfish) is fearless, outgoing, and lives in the moment. What they have in common is that they are both twelve years old, and their dads are dating each other. Against all odds, the girls soon can’t imagine a life without each other. But when the worst happens, and their dads break up, Avery and Bett must figure out a way to get them to fall in love again. Is keeping a family together as easy as they think?
Song For a Whale by Lynne Kelly
PB £6.99 published by Piccadilly Press
AGE 9+
A heartwarming new children’s book, inspired by the real-life “Loneliest Whale in the World”, as seen on the BBC, Huffington Post, and The New York Times. Iris was born deaf, but she’s never let that define her; after all, it’s the only life she’s ever known. And until recently she wasn’t even very lonely, because her grandparents are both deaf, too. But Grandpa has just died and Grandma’s not her same without him. Then, during a science lesson about sound waves, Iris finds out about a whale who is unable to communicate with other whales. The lonely whale awakens something in Iris and she’s determined to show him that someone in the world knows he’s there.