We are already in February! Where did January go? Where did 2014 go for that matter? It seems that the New Year is already running away with us and I quite honestly don’t feel as though I’ve put the previous busy year behind me yet. A constant reminder quite literally is the tower of books at home that I still wish to read. Then there is the new pile in the office that is already a health and safety accident in the making and the laptop that is creaking and groaning under the weight of new digital manuscripts filling up the network space here at HQ.

 

Not that I am complaining – I feel extremely lucky. I have the very fortunate and quite unique job of reading and buying children’s books for a living! My ‘problem’ is a great problem to have. Our wonderful publishers and their talented authors are producing a vast array of extraordinarily good books – and we get to choose the best ones for children to read in schools worldwide. Fortunately I have been supported by an exquisite team of the most enthusiastic fans of children’s literature here, as well as the brilliant Wendy Body, who has every year for 25 years taken on the immense task of reading and reviewing a whole year’s publishing!  My ‘tower’ pales into insignificance when you compare it to the van- load winding its way to the South-West annually. Truly inspirational, I know she still manages to find time to read adult books!

 

So despite it feeling like an eternity since 2014, I think it is worth looking back. Against all the odds; economic austerity and the constant pull of digital distraction, children’s book sales were outstanding last year and dominated overall book sales in 2014 – with Awful Auntie being the second best-selling book overall topped only by John Green’s A Fault in our Stars for teenagers. Yes, David Walliam’s out sold Jamie Oliver and Mary Berry! Publishers are understandably brimming with excitement and the result is lots more great fiction for children and teenagers, with YA getting stronger and stronger it seems. Added to this the serious push from our schools on Reading for Pleasure and emphasis, in the 2014 English Curriculum, upon teaching children to love and want to read, not just how to read, I feel like it is an exciting time for children’s literature and for my team as we head into 2015 and dive into the wonderful books coming in all the time as we speak.

 

A handful of highlights from 2014:

9781408320044smallTen Little Pirates by Mike Brownlow (4-5 Years)  Hilarious counting book for early years children to share and laugh along with. The wonderful pirate characters are bumped off one by one as various mishaps and catastrophes occur and we all count down from 10 little pirates (Arrrrr!) to 1 stranded, lonely pirate with “No Ship. No Food. And no way home”. At home, my toddler wells up when she sees the last pirate standing and I have to whizz on to the next page where we find his fate improves! It’s a delightful rhyming, rhythmical tale with superb illustrations full of detail to pour over in the early years classroom and I don’t doubt there will be a rousing “Arrrrr!” at the end as everybody joins in grimacing like a mean pirate.

 

 

9781848773639smallOlive and the Embarrassing Hat by Tor Freeman (5-6 Years) I already loved Olive but this story is a heart-wrenching, squirmingly uncomfortable at times, story about friendship and what it means to be a true friend. Olive is embarrassed of the hat her best friend Joe has given her as a present and is squirming when her other friends mock her for wearing it. When Joe catches her trying to hide it in the bin, she quickly realises how much she has upset her friend and goes all out to show him how much he means to her. It is an endearing story and carries a good message about not caring what everybody else thinks.

 

 

9781783440450smallThe Dragonsitter’s Island by Josh Lacey (7-9 Years) I have loved Josh Lacey’s ‘Dragonsitter’ series from the first one. Perfect for newly independent readers and unique in its presentation as a string of emails between Edward Pickle-Smith and his adventurous Uncle Morton Pickle. As obvious from the title Eddie is the ‘sitter’ for Uncle Morton’s dragons, Ziggy and Arthur. As Eddie updates his uncle on the comical mishaps and antics caused by the dragons and his sightings of the Loch Ness Monster, eccentric Uncle Morton is not much help as usual. This is real laugh-out loud writing with charming illustrations. Year 3 & 4 pupils will love reading this book and boys will find it irresistible.

 

 

 

 
91Pn0zezbfLsmallFortunately, the Milk… by Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell (7-9 years) Dad has been left in charge whilst Mum is delivering a conference on Lizards. What could go wrong? Dad forgot to get some milk so when breakfast time comes he ‘nips’ to the shop to get some. When he doesn’t come back for a very, very long time the children naturally want to know what on earth took him so long? Well…it starts with an alien abduction from Marshall Road and becomes an epic adventure of  time travel,  Pirate Queens, mad dinosaur inventors, talking Volcano Gods, globby aliens and Wumpires. Throughout this madcap, crazy, comedy adventure Dad manages to keep the milk safe. I particularly love the interjections from the kids who find so many holes in his unbelievable story. Chris Riddell illustrates with incredible pictures throughout. Year 4 confident readers will devour this book.

 

 

9780192793553smallScarlet Ibis by Gill Lewis (9-11 years) Another sensational book from Gill Lewis. I read this on the train not realising it would be a near tearjerker! Scarlet is holding it all together for her family whilst caring for her mum with depression and her brother with autism. When ‘the Penguin’ (social worker) decides to place her with a foster family without her brother she does everything to get to him. Nobody understands him the way she does. I was hooked on this book from start to finish and found it emotional in places but that doesn’t mean it isn’t accessible for children. Gill Lewis writes with sensitivity. I recommend this book for Year 6 particularly.

 

 

 

The Book Collection Teams’  ‘books to look forward to’ in 2015…

3-7 Year Olds

51se34sg5LLsmallRecipe for a Story by Ella Burfoot  (Jan 2015) A little girl shows you ‘How to cook up your very own book’ by beating up thoughts, weighing out words and cutting out characters. An expressive rhyming text is paired with inventive illustrations that really bring the metaphor alive and make it dance across the pages. A lively, fun and charming introduction to making up stories.

 

 

 

 

515Zgp3AFNLsmallA Library Book for Bear by Bonny Becker and Kady Macdonald Denton (Sept 2015) The irascible bear and his exuberant friend mouse are guaranteed to entertain and captivate. Despite Mouse’s enthusiasm for the library, Bear is convinced that no-one could possibly need more than seven books. It is both funny and uplifting to see him finally won over by a story, featuring a heroic bear of course. The text and the illustrations work perfectly together to create characters that make this picture book really stand out.

 

 

7-9 Years

811TVJMTwpLsmallThe Leaky Battery Sets Sail (Adventures of the Steampunk Pirates) by Gareth P. Jones (Feb 2015) Steam powered mechanical pirates; a feisty heroine and anarchic adventure make this a great read with wide appeal. It is like reading an Arrdman Animation and the clever light touches and energetic humorous black and white illustrations enhance this effect. Stimulating, fun and exciting, this book will win many fans eager for more.  

 

 

 

 

9-11 Years

Felix Frost – Time Detective by Eleanor Hawken (July 2015) History and science collide in this thrilling adventure mystery which delivers all that it promises; drama, humour, tension and tasty titbits of Roman History, science and even ethics. Readers cannot help but cheer the heroes on and develop historical empathy. This book was so much fun to read and blended all the elements together so well that it rocketed along and I cannot wait for more. No image available  

 

616h7nNilhLsmallThe Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine (June 2015) This beautifully rich tale is set in Edwardian London during the opening of Sinclair’s, a luxurious department store. Recently orphaned Sophie has started her job working in the millinery department when the priceless Clockwork Sparrow goes missing and she is wrongly accused. This detective story is all about bringing the true villains to justice as Sophie and her friends work together to piece together the mystery. Perfect for fans of Chris Riddell, Enid Blyton and Eva Ibbotson.

 

 

 

91e0hGuBQ5LsmallNot As We Know It by Tom Avery (March 2015) From the author of My Brother’s Shadow, comes another wonderful piece of writing. This book has you hooked in from the start and is so carefully crafted. It comes with a small warning – it’s emotional! The story is about twins who do everything together, but in particular they love beachcombing. Slowly you realise that one twin, Ned, is desperately ill with CF and is losing his battle against the disease, so when they find a strange creature (Mer-man) on the beach, Jamie helps keep him a secret for Ned’s sake whilst his hopes are high that this magical creature from the sea is here to help Ned to get well. This book will appeal to Year 6 and any adult alike!  

 

 

 

11+ Transition

91X1A+6wNkLsmallThe Box and the Dragonfly: The Keepers by Ted Sanders (March 2015) Captivating from the first to the last page, this book delights your imagination, has you holding your breath and creates a fantasy world within our own world that is completely compelling. The story is enthralling and so well written that you cannot help reading parts out to anyone in earshot, so probably not one for the train, although your journey would be over before you know it! This is a satisfying page turner for confident readers that is as enjoyable as it is challenging.  

 

 

 

Teens and YA

The ExtrasmallThe Extra by Kathy Lasky (Sept 2015) – 12+ This is a Holocaust survival tale unlike any other and is based on a true story. Lasky reimagines the lives of Gypsies who worked as extras for the Nazi filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl. Lilo and her mother are chosen to work as extras in Riefenstahl’s film Lieflands. At first this appears like a blessing but Lilo is quick to learn that Leni is no different to her oppressors and enjoys playing God with people’s lives. This is a compelling and, at times, harrowing read that is perfect for looking in to this lesser known chapter of Holocaust history.   

 

 

 

51Jzu35PCeLsmallEvil Librarian by Michelle Knudson (Sept 2015) – YA This is not your average YA paranormal romance! Cynthia’s best friend Annie falls for the new, hot librarian Mr Gabriel but Cynthia knows something is not quite right about him… It turns out he is an evil demon! Cynthia must save her best friend and the rest of school from his wicked soul-sucking ways. This is a quirky mix of horror and humour which will have you laughing from the very first page. Add to that a fast-paced plot with a strong, lovable heroine and you have a YA title that demands to be read time and time again.

 

 

Kerry Innes – Book Collections Manager