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Never Trust a Gemini
Never Trust a Gemini

FEATURED BOOK FOR TEENS/YA - a laugh-out-loud LGBTQ+ romantic comedy from stellar debut talent, Freja Nicole Woolf. For ages 12+

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10 Brilliant Children's Books Coming This Spring!

10 brilliant children's books coming this Spring

Now this wasn't an easy task (although it was most enjoyable having a quiet few days reading between Christmas and New Year!). Our post box was literally bursting with new books just before Christmas and it's so hard whittling it down to just 10, particularly as we always try to have a range of ages and genres but here are the 10 books we're MOST excited about this Spring.

Toppsta
2021-12-28
10 Brilliant Children's Books Coming This Spring!
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Hello, Frog: touch, feel and reveal

Join Frog on a jungle journey, and say hello to lots of friendly creatures along the way.

This tactile board book is an incredible interactive adventure, packed with touch-and-feels, flaps and peek-through holes. Follow Frog as he explores all kinds of wildlife, from a hummingbird and a snake to a monkey and a moth. Simple text and flaps allow little learners to recognise other animals and plants too, making this a fun and stimulating book to share with your child.

Bold, bright illustrations from Sophie Ledesma bring the natural world to life.

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MONSTER! HUNGRY! PHONE!

Monster is HUNGRY. He wants PIZZA. And he's got a PHONE! But uh oh . . . who is he going to call? Hold the line - Monster is in for a wild ride! WARNING: This book may make you laugh your socks off! A hilarious picture book that's perfect for anyone who's ever REALLY wanted PIZZA. With bold, bright illustrations by the talented Fred Benaglia, it's an unmissable treat, and perfect for fans of Oi Frog!

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Woodland Magic 1: Fox Cub Rescue

The first story in an illustrated magical adventure series from the bestselling author of the Unicorn Academy, brimming with drama and an environmental theme. The Keepers are a secretive tribe of little people who live in the middle of Whispering Woods, coming out at night to care for the countryside and rewild it when humans (or Ruffins as they know them) are careless with it. Young Keepers Cora and Jax have just finished school and are embarking on a trial, with several friends, to become fully-fledged Keepers. But their first venture out on their own ends in disaster when they become distracted with playing in the Ruffin children's playground instead of concentrating on the task they've been given. Can they ever be trusted to be Keepers in their own right? A brilliant new magical series perfect for 6-8 year olds combining animal rescue, nature conservation and adventure.

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When You're Fast Asleep - Who Works at Night-Time?

Discover the amazing people that work when you're fast asleep in this large-format board book with easy-to-lift flaps on every page! There are all kinds of people that work during the night-time, from bakers to doctors, train drivers to road workers, and out at sea or in an art gallery. Peek inside the oven at the bakery, find out if the fishing boats have caught any fish and open the doors into a busy hospital. Learn more about the world at night with this fun lift-the-flap book that's packed with details to spot and perfect for sharing at bedtime. With a rhyming, read-aloud text from Peter Arrhenius and bold, friendly artwork from Ingela P Arrhenius, the award-winning illustrator of the bestselling Felt Flaps and Peekaboo series.

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The Bird Singers

'The whistling had started on their first night. At first, Layah thought it was bird song - a high thin sound which became a melody, rising and falling. And each night, it returned.'

Strange things have been happening to Layah and her younger sister, Izzie, ever since their mother dragged them to a rain-soaked cottage miles from anywhere in the Lake District: there is a peculiar whistling at night, a handful of unusual feathers appear on their doorstep and there are murmurings of a shadowed woman in the forest. And their mother is behaving very oddly. Layah is mourning the loss of her dear grandmother in Poland - and can almost hear her Babcia's voice telling her the old myths and fairy tales from that magical place.

And as the holiday takes on a dark twist, Layah begins to wonder if the myths might just be real.

A thrilling debut from remarkable new talent, Eve Wersocki Morris.

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Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Being Good

Wry, witty and very funny diary-style story packed with doodles and comic strips about the frustration trickster god Loki feels at having to live trapped in the body of a weedy eleven-year-old boy.

After one trick too many, Loki is banished to live on Earth as a "normal" school boy. Forbidden from using his AWESOME godly powers, Loki must show moral improvement . As he records his lies THE TRUTH in his magical (judgemental) diary, it becomes clear Loki hasn't a clue how to tell good from evil, trust from tricks, or friends from enemies.

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Grandpa Frank's Great Big Bucket List

From the bestselling queen of heart and humour, JENNY PEARSON, comes a great big soaring adventure about family and finding happiness. When Frank John Davenport inherits piles of money from a grandma he didn't know he had, things take an unexpected turn... Because the money comes with STRICT instructions...and a NEW grandpa. Frank quickly compiles a list of all the ways he can spend the money and look after his grumpy grandpa. Money may buy hot-air balloon rides, monster-truck lessons and epic parkour experiences, but can Frank discover that happiness is, in fact, priceless? Praise for Jenny Pearson SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA BOOK AWARD, WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD, LAUGH OUT LOUD BOOK AWARD and the BRANFORD BOASE AWARD "Breaks records for funny and touching storytelling." David Baddiel "As funny and tender as it could ever be." Frank Cottrell-Boyce "Heart-warming and genuinely funny." The Times

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The Secret of Splint Hall

1945. War has ended, but for sisters Isobel and Flora the struggles still continue. They've lost their father and had their home destroyed in a bombing raid, and now they must go to live with their aunt and her awful husband Mr Godfrey in their ancestral home, Splint Hall. From the moment of their arrival it seems that this is a place shrouded in mysteries and secrets. Who are the strange men who arrive with packages at night? What is the source of the strange blue sparks coming from the ground? And why do the locals seem to hate their family so much? As the girls begin to unearth an ancient myth and family secret, the adventure of a lifetime begins.

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Circus Maximus: Rivals on the Track

Dido is the only girl ever to have raced to victory at the Circus Maximus, Rome's greatest sporting arena. Now she and her beloved horse, Porcellus, are in hiding, and the Emperor Caligula has put a price on their heads.

Can she outwit the emperor and his bounty hunters? And will a shocking family secret stop her in her tracks, or spur her on to make a daring return, helped by a one-eyed mare with a heart as brave as her own?

Horses, history, mystery, thrilling entertainment and sensational storytelling race neck and neck through the second pulse-pounding adventure in Annelise Gray's 9+ series set in Ancient Rome.

'I loved this adventure - full of brilliant horses, and a determined heroine following her dreams against all the odds. Looking forward to discovering what's in store for them next' Pippa Funnell, MBE, three-time Equestrian Olympic medalist

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Baby Love

A heartbreaking, compelling and timely story for older readers about teen pregnancy, family trouble and unlikely friendships, set in 1960.

When Laura meets a French exchange student, Leon, she is flattered by his interest in her. She's never had any sort of boyfriend before.

One night, Leon walks Laura home - and her life will never be the same again.

Things start to change for Laura - first her moods, and then her body. Laura isn't prepared for what she learns next - and doesn't even know how it could have happened.

When her family learns her secret, they are horrified. Sent away to save them from shame, Laura meets girls just like herself, whose families have given up on them - and they become a family for each other at the most difficult time in all their lives.

An emotional and moving tale for fans of Dear Nobody and Juno.

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Paperbacks Coming This Spring

Toppsta
2021-12-28
10 Brilliant Children's Books Coming This Spring!

30th December 2021

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Featured Book
Never Trust a Gemini
Never Trust a Gemini

FEATURED BOOK FOR TEENS/YA - a laugh-out-loud LGBTQ+ romantic comedy from stellar debut talent, Freja Nicole Woolf. For ages 12+

View book