Book Monitor - books from across the world

Engaging reads for children, from Books go Walkabout

Midnight Magic by Michelle Harrison & illustrated by Elissa Elwick

Midnight and Trixie are very best friends…

Black cats born at midnight
Are different indeed
A mischievous, odd
And peculiar breed

A bewitching new series from the best-selling author of A PINCH OF MAGIC, Michelle Harrison. Told in rhyming verse and illustrated in colour throughout by Elissa Elwick. This is perfect for readers of SQUISHY MCFLUFF, HUBBLE BUBBLE and GOBBOLINO.

In the middle of winter, three kittens are born in a barn. Two are ordinary, but the third, jet black and born on the stroke of midnight, is brimming with magic from whiskers to tail – even sparking life into a dusty old broomstick! While her siblings pounce at rats, Midnight perfects her flying skills on the broom, not noticing how her mother disapproves of her magical ways…

When Midnight finds herself abandoned, the little black kitten sets out to find a new home with only her loyal broom Twiggy at her side. The pair soon befriend a kind-hearted girl called Trixie. But how will Trixie’s family react to Midnight’s extraordinary powers and taste for mischief?

Stunning new series of early chapter books from Little Tiger Press, beautifully bound and on top quality paper, with full illustrations on every page. A great way to encourage new readers into books.

Sue Martin – Children’s Literacy Specialist

The Hat Full of Secrets by Karl Newson & Illustrated by Wazza Pink

Part of the Colour Fiction Series from Little Tiger Press…

Henry’s got a secret … a big one! And he doesn’t know what to do with it. Grandpa suggests he should keep it under his hat ­– and he’s got just the hat for the job. But when Henry puts it on he discovers that Grandpa has some secrets of his own!

A lyrical and heart-warming story celebrating the magical bond between a child and a grandparent, with full colour illustrations on every page.

Karl Newson is an inspiring author, as in the first words of the book...’ Henry Pepper didn’t ask for it. He didn’t wish it. He didn’t even dream it up. But there was a secret’…

Illustrator is Wazza Pink , interesting article from Vietcetera. Her images are captivating and create an atmosphere which does so much more than just fit with the text.

 Part of the Colour Fiction series from Little Tiger Press, an engaging series of short stories for new readers emerging into chapter books. The books are wonderful, they are beautifully bound with high quality paper and they fit into small hands. Each page has engaging illustrations from well known illustrators with clear and bold text.

I love this new series from Little Tiger Press, they make perfect books for young children at the first stages of independent reading at schools and at home.

Sue Martin – Children’s Literacy Specialist

The Bear Stylist by Steven Butler & illustrated by Jacob Souva

Part of the Colour Fiction Series from Little Tiger Press

Ludo comes from a long line of famous bear stylists. He loves giving his customers sensible haircuts, whether it’s a tidy trim or a perfect perm. Until Leonardo arrives in town. Soon Ludo’s clients are having their feathers flapped and their curls combed by him instead.

But only one bear can be named Bear Stylist Supreme…

A charming celebration of creativity and teamwork.

This is a delightful tale of the work of the best hair stylist on Crooked Mountain. Coming from a long line of Tubb’s family hair stylists, Ludo was in great demand, travelling between clients on his bicycle.  

Bear Stylist Supreme…

Steven Butler is the author, who also wrote the Diaries of Dennis the Menace and has a gift with words and unfolding characters.

 Part of the Colour Fiction series from Little Tiger Press, an engaging series of short stories for new readers emerging into chapter books. The books are wonderful, they are beautifully bound with high quality paper and it well into smaller hands. Each page has engaging illustrations from well known illustrators and the text is clear and bold.

I love this new series from Little Tiger Press, they make perfect books for young children wanting to read schools and at home.

Sue Martin – Children’s Literacy Specialist

The Story Collector Series written & illustrated by Jane Ray.

The perfect gift to make a child’s imagination soar!’ Shirley Hughes OBE

Stunning books in paperback gift design covers . Their eye catching design and illustrations are wonderful. They are compelling and intriguing, The stories know by many are brought to life  and will stay with you forever. Three books newly published by Boxer Books on 27th October 2022.

The Emperor’s Nightingale and Other Feathery Tales This is the first extraordinary volume of tales collected, retold and illustrated by Jane Ray, one of the world’s leading artists of stunning picture books. It includes many favourites such as The Happy Prince, The Owl and The Pussy Cat, and lesser known, but equally enjoyable stories such as Jorinda and Joringel.

Whale Song, Ballad of John Silver and many more…

The Little Mermaid and Other Fishy Tales

The  second magnificent volume of tales collected, retold and illustrated by Jane Ray. It includes something for everyone: The Fisherman and His Wife; Whalesong; The Lobster Quadrille, A Ballad of John Silver and many more.

The Lion and the Unicorn and Other Hairy Tales

The third volume in Jane Ray’s stunning story collection featuring The Lion and The Unicorn, Brer Wolf, The Singing Ringing Tree, Theseus and the Minotaur and many more. Beautifully illustrated and designed with stories that keep you turning the pages. A perfect gift.

Jane Ray has been illustrating and writing children’s books for 25 years and has a special interest in folk and fairy tales. As well as her wonderful picture books she has designed cards and book jackets plus fabrics for Liberty. In 2018, she was nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award.

If you are looking for gifts for Christmas these books are perfect for young and older too.

If you are in education Jane has a myriad of activities and information will can be shared and enable the perfect back drop for enabling sharing of myths and legends or for creating your own stories.

Sue Martin Children’s Literacy Specialist

Books Go Walkabout
Stories across the world…

AFRICANA

Welcome to Africa

An incredibly beautiful book  packed with fascinating nuggets of information about the largest continent in the world.

Wide Eyed Editions an imprint of Quarto Knows, publish stunning books and Africana is one of the best examples of a book expertly produced which makes a wonderful gift in a school library or home coffee table. Aimed at children, the book will be well read by parents too.

Discover the incredible history and diversity of the African continent in all its splendour with this beautifully illustrated and fact-filled encyclopaedia.

This fascinating and beautiful book is divided into broad geographical sections which celebrate and showcase the peoples, landscapes and wildlife from different regions of this great continent, and bright and bold illustrations bring these facts to life.

Learn about the astonishing history of the continent, as the birthplace of the very first human beings, through rich historical civilisations such as the ancient Egyptians, the Benin Empire and the Kingdom of Kush, up to the development of the dynamic cities of the modern day.

Africana explores:

  • The beautiful visual cultures and artwork from across Africa, including the the printed cottons of Guinea and the mud cloth of Mali
  • Famous figures from African history and modern-day change makers
  • The incredible landscapes and wildlife of the continent, ranging from the deserts of the north, the rainforests of the central regions and the savannahs of the south
Human life probably began in Africa…


Featuring a stunning copper foil–detailed cover, this large-format book is packed with maps, timelines and much, much more to open your eyes to the beauty and brilliance of this diverse continent.

Kim Chakanetsa is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster and producer from Zimbabwe. She joined the BBC in 2013 after working for CNN International and Associated Press. She has also worked on a number of documentaries for the World Service. When not in the studio, Kim likes attempting complex recipes.

Lagos-based multidisciplinary illustrator, Mayowa Alabi’s work is inspired by his childhood obsessions—African folklore and Afrofuturism. A graphic designer and photographer with over seven years of professional design experience, Mayowa previously worked as the Creative Lead at Co-Creation Hub Nigeria before taking on his current role as a visual artist for the BBC.

This amazing book has taught me so much about the vastness of Africa and its wide diversity and incredible history and topography.

Sue Martin Children’s Literacy Specialist

An Atlas of Lost Kingdoms illustrated by Lauren Baldo and written by Emily Hawkins

Mythical Lands, Lost Cities and Vanished Islands…

This is my kind of book! Packed with fascinating information and illustrations about intriguing lost worlds. At the start of each section in the world there are illustrated maps which help to place and define the lost kingdoms across the planet.

On this quest around the world, you will discover lost kingdoms, phantom islands and even legendary continents once sought by explorers but now believed to be mythical.

From a favourite publishing imprint Wide Eyed Books part of the Quarto Knows group, the hardback non fiction book makes a wonderful present and also a long lasting favourite for any school or library.

The Sword in the Stone…

For centuries, people have dreamed of finding the lost worlds of Atlantis, El Dorado and the Seven Cities of Gold. As well as shedding light on these famously elusive places, this atlas contains maps and captivating illustrations to illuminate lesser-known destinations, from the lost island of Hy-Brasil to the desert city of Zerzura. You will learn about rich mythologies from different cultures, from the Aztecs to the ancient Britons, from the Greek legends to Japanese folklore.
 
Most of the places in this book have never been found, but within these pages you will succeed where the adventurers of the past were thwarted. Learn about ancient maps, age-old manuscripts and cryptic carvings that reveal clues to the whereabouts of these lost kingdoms. The journey will transport you to thoroughly other-worldly places.

Once a children’s book editor, Emily Hawkins is now a full-time author. Her work has been featured on the New York Times bestseller list (Oceanology, 2009) as well as winning the Children’s Travel Book of the Year Award (Atlas of Animal Adventures, 2016). Emily has a strong interest in myth, folklore and storytelling and holds a first-class English degree from Nottingham University, living in Winchester, UK.

Lauren Baldo is an illustrator based in the Philippines. He has worked as a storyboard artist, comic artist, graphic designer, and children’s book illustrator.

In south Western Nigeria…

An Atlas of Lost Kingdoms is my book on the sofa for the next few nights. It will give me inspiration and ideas about areas which may have been lost, may be myth and in many cases simply true but forgotten.

Sue Martin Children’s Literacy Specialist


 

It’s Her Story: Rosalind Franklin by Karen de Seve & illustrations by Samantha Chow

A series of books about inspirational women from Sunbird Books

A remarkable story about a woman who led in many scientific discoveries and yet never received any acknowledgments in her lifetime.

Part of a series of books which feature inspirational women in a graphic novel format.

Rosalind Franklin was a British chemist during the 1940’s and 1950’a, when fee women worked in sciences. During WW2 she expanded our knowledge of the physics of coal and carbon, and later she studied viruses.

Her ‘photo 51’ was central to the double helix structure of DNA, ground-breaking work for which she never received any credit.

The true structure of DNA…

Written by Karen de Seve, based in the US and Illustrated by Samantha Feriolla Chow from Indonesia this book brings a wealth of interest, information and intrigue to young readers.

Published by Sunbird Books It’s Her Story: Rosalind Franklin is part of a series featuring inspirational women in a graphic novel format. This works very well for children who are keen to explore the subject, and the pictures give added information about the setting that words would take longer to express.

Its Her Story Josephine Baker by Lauren Gamble & illustrated by Markia Jenai

Left a segregated America in 1925…became the most famous entertainer in Paris

A graphic novel for children ages 7 to 10. Josephine Baker left a segregated America in 1925 and became the most famous entertainer in Paris, France. She went on to be the first Black woman to star in a movie, a volunteer spy during World War II, and the mother of twelve adopted children from around the world. Then, she returned to the States to dance for American audiences and bring her voice to the Civil Rights Movement.

This is her story and a fascinating glimpse of a world where as a black woman she had to force her way for the rights of so many.

I would thoroughly recommend these graphic novels from Sunbird Books for children from 7-10 years and beyond. Graphic novels which are fact based provide a huge resource bank for children, schools and libraries.

Sue Martin Children’s Literacy Specialist

Super Powers of Nature & Super Heroes of Nature by Georges Feterman – QED Publishers

Superpowers of Nature is a fascinating, quirky photographic book featuring the amazing superpowers in the animal kingdom.

Wild Wonders of the World


With incredible photos and fascinating text, this book is a celebration of biodiversity and nature. From the platypus to the peregrine falcon, find out all about these amazing animals and the extraordinary abilities that make them the superheroes of our planet. Did you know…

  • An octopus’s brain is distributed all over its body
  • The tropical frog causes potential predators to wretch violently
  • The plumed basilisk can run for its life on water!
Fearsome creatures…

For each animal discover their superpower, super stats and super facts about them, as well as information about how they used their super skills in the wild. With an important message about protecting the rich biodiversity of our planet, Superpowers of Nature is a stunning photographic book for kids fascinated by the animal kingdom and the weird wonders it has to offer.

Super Heroes of Nature has some incredible facts and photographs of creatures with superhero powers from the Leaf Cutter Ants to the Musk Ox.

Incredible Skills to Survive and Thrive…

Borneo ants to the flying dragon, find out all about these amazing animals and the extraordinary abilities that make them the superheroes of our planet. For example:

  • A hammerhead shark can see 180 degrees
  • The webbed gecko can glide across the desert sand
  • The springbok is super fast!
It can view 180 degrees…

These books published on 6th September are from the Animal Powers series, which celebrates the weird, extraordinary, and truly amazing powers of some of nature’s most incredible animals, while celebrating biodiversity and encouraging young readers to value the natural world around them.

Georges Feterman , the author is an associate professor of natural sciences. He is also the president of the association “A.R.B.R.E.S. “(Remarkable Trees, Assessment, Research, Studies and Safeguarding) campaigning for in-depth research on remarkable trees. For twenty years, he has been recording and photographing the most remarkable subjects of the French natural heritage because of their proportions, stories or rarity.

QED publishers are part of Quarto Knows and produce some of the best factual info books with appeal and a huge difference. At £7.99 these books in a Flexi Binding are incredibly good value and will provide hours of interest for children of all ages.

Sue Martin Children’s Literacy Specialist

Lore of the Land: Folklore and Wisdom from the Wild Earth

Folklore and Wisdom from the Wild Earth

Unearth the secrets of our natural world with The Lore of the Land, a richly illustrated compendium of folklore and wisdom from the land, skies and seas written by Claire Cock-Starkey and illustrated by Samantha Dolan

From thundering rivers to shady groves, flickering marshes to lightless caves, and from snow-capped mountains to the depths of the ocean, discover the folklore of Earth’s wildest places. Stories and spirits abound in these land- and seascapes, where traditional wisdom and mysterious magics have intertwined over centuries.

Each of the six chapters covers a different natural landscape, revealing the worldwide folklore surrounding Woodlands, Seas & Oceans, Wetlands, Mountains, Rivers & Streams and Hills & Caves. Beginning with tales from cultures spanning the globe, each chapter then dives into the legends of how these places were formed, their place in the human imagination and their natural and otherworldly denizens.

Forests hold secrets that only the wild can show…

Learn how the forests hold up the sky in Māori tradition; how in Ireland, seaweed was once thought to predict the weather; and that the ancient Greeks believed Mount Etna housed the fiery forge of the gods. All this and more is accompanied by beautiful artwork based on real folklore, uncovering the secrets of our natural world as never before.

A treasury of fascinating tales and ancient wisdom, The Lore of the Land is sure to fire the imaginations of young nature-lovers, and delight anyone who has ever wondered whether there is more to our natural world than meets the eye.

Publishers are Wide Eyed, part of the Quarto Group.

Sue Martin Children’s Literacy Specialist

The Secret Unicorn Club

Do you believe in unicorns? Would you like to join a secret club of unicorn experts, who search for and look after unicorns in the wild? Now is the time to earn your place in the Secret Unicorn Club.

Earn ten badges on your journey towards becoming an official Secret Unicorn Club member then discover a hidden handbook for only the truest friend of the unicorns.

Guard the precious knowledge within these pages for the good of all horsekind…

EMMA ROBERTS is the author and her life-long passion for all things Shakespeare in the student-theatre scene. When Emma isn’t queuing for tickets at The Globe, she is either performing in local theatre or training for her next marathon. Her latest book, The Dragon Ark, was published by Magic Cat in 2020.

A book within a book! Such a delightful surprise!


RAE RITCHIE, illustrator, lives with her daughter, her husband and her cat Nomi in Minneapolis, MN. Her watercolour and gouache paintings are created in a sunny little room in her home, and she is greatly inspired by the lushness of nature, classic children’s books and old photographs. Rae’s clients include Los Angeles Times, Dear Stella Design and Fjallraven.

TOMISLAV TOMIĆ, illustrator known for his pen and ink drawings that are based on a Re-naissance engraving style. He’s a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb and lives with his family is Croatia.

Did you know that a Hippogriff is a winged magical horse of a different kind, part horse and griffin, which is also part lion and eagle. Built for speed and travelling large distances it will tolerate passenger but only in exceptional circumstances.

Magic Cat Publishing Magic Cat creates beautiful children’s books that do more. We gently weave ideas that matter into stories that engage, entertain and bring joy. Ideas about kindness, togetherness, friendship, inclusivity. Ideas about the future of our planet, about culture, activism, and mindfulness. Our books inspire care for our world…
and each other.

Ideal as a present, this book will thrill and be treasured by children of all ages. a star of a book! Watch out for more beautiful books from this talented new Magic Cat Publishing team,

Sue Martin Children’s Literacy Specialist

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