Macmillan Children's Books

Let's Meet Taylor

Hey Swifties! Jump into the magical world of Taylor Swift with this dazzling book all about your favourite superstar!

This fun picture book takes you on a sparkling journey from Taylor's early days on a Christmas tree farm to her shining moments as a music icon who lights up the stage like no other.

Its colourful pages are filled with stories of Taylor's first steps onto the stage, her incredible songs that speak right to your heart, and the belief of never giving up on her dreams.

Are you a big enough fan to find the Taylor Swift Easter egg hiding on every page? Can you spot her iconic styles, those famous hair flips, and your favourite Taylor lyrics? Count the butterflies to reveal her lucky number!

Perfect for young Swifties, Let's Meet Taylor is an unofficial biography filled with gentle text by Alexandra Koken and Claire Baker. It's beautifully illustrated by a true Swiftie, Mariana Avila Lagunes.

Join Taylor as she teaches us all to be fearless, believe in ourselves, and dance like nobody's watching!

'For preschool Swifties who want to know more about their idol, here's a sweet picture book biography with just the right amount of text to hold their attention. – Good Housekeeping US

Goth Girl And The Ghost Of A Mouse

A beautiful new cover look for the paperback edition of Chris Riddell's Costa Award-winning Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse. Illustrated in black and white throughout, full of adventure and dark humour, it is perfect for children aged 8 to 11!

Ada Goth is the only child of Lord Goth. The two live together in the enormous Ghastly-Gorm Hall. Lord Goth believes that children should be heard and not seen, so Ada has to wear large clumpy boots so that he can always hear her coming. This makes it hard for her to make friends and, if she's honest, she's rather lonely.

Then one day William and Emily Cabbage come to stay at the house and, together with a ghostly mouse called Ishmael, the three children begin to unravel a dastardly plot that Maltravers, the mysterious indoor gamekeeper, is hatching. Ada and her friends must work together to foil Maltravers before it's too late!

Continue this deliciously dark series with Goth Girl and the Fete Worse Than Death and Goth Girl and the Wuthering Fright.

Unraveller

A dark YA fantasy about learning to use your power and finding peace, from award-winning author Frances Hardinge

In a world where anyone can create a life-destroying curse, only one person has the power to unravel them.

Kellen does not fully understand his talent, but helps those transformed maliciously—including Nettle. Recovered from entrapment in bird form, she is now his constant companion and closest ally.

But Kellen has also been cursed, and unless he and Nettle can remove his curse, Kellen is in danger of unravelling everything—and everyone—around him . . .

Whoosh! Went The Witch - A Room On The Broom Sound Book

Fly through the sky with the witch and her friends and bring the story to life with a specially-designed 'whoosh' sound. This board book has a chunky sound button, perfect for small hands.

Who's that flying over the treetops?

Whoosh! Went the Witch is a fun and interactive introduction to one of the UK's favourite story books, Room on the Broom from the superb partnership of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo.

The Monster Doctor - Slime Crime

Laughter is the best medicine, so give yourself a healthy dose of fun and silliness with Monster Doctor: Slime Crime. The third in a spectacularly slimy series of monster adventures written and illustrated by John Kelly that will have you roaring with laughter.

Are you looking for the best monster medicine EVER?

Then look no further! FIXITALL will heal tentacle pain, fix leaky noses and stop your limbs falling off – in fact, it will heal practically any common monster illness. (It must be true, because it says so right there on the packet.)

When an annoying saleswoman called Ms Diagnosis arrives at the monster doctor surgery, she swears that her new wonder medicine can cure any monster malady. Ozzy and the monster doctor aren't so sure, and their suspicions are raised when the patients try the unusually slimy samples and strange things start happening . . .

Enjoy more from this howlingly hilarious series with Revolting Rescue and Foul Play.

Wonder - The Natural History Museum

Wonder: The Natural History Museum Poetry Book is a beautiful gift hardback collection of poetry with poems inspired by The Natural History Museum.

It covers everything from the depths of space to the very centre of the earth - there are poems about the solar system, planet earth, oceans and rivers, birds, dinosaurs, fossils, wildlife, flowers, fungi, insects, explorers and palaeontologists. Each section includes an introduction and some footnotes about particularly interesting species.

The museum has a collection of over eighty million objects and behind the scenes of its twenty-eight galleries crowd kilometres of preserved specimens, libraries of rare books and artworks, wonders gathered on some of the most famous voyages in history, rooms packed with pressed plants, warehouses teeming with stuffed animals and freezers full of DNA. As well as a museum, it is a state-of-the-art centre for discovery with over three hundred resident scientists and over ten thousand visiting researchers each year, investigating everything from dinosaurs to life on other planets.

The collection is made up of brand new and classic poems and is illustrated with botanical drawings and engravings from the museum’s collections.

This fantastic collection speaks of the wonder of nature and shows us why we need to look after our incredible planet.

Epic Adventures: Explore the World in 12 Amazing Train Journeys

From Adventures on Trains author and British Book Award 2021 winner, Sam Sedgman, comes a beautiful and informative book encapsulating the excitement and wonder of adventure and travel – all seen through the world's most wondrous train journeys.

Climb onboard and travel across six continents, 34 countries and numerous cities via twelve of the world's most amazing train journeys. Bestselling author Sam Sedgman will delight with his descriptive and illuminative text about train journeys including the Eurostar (London to Amsterdam), Orient Express (Paris to Istanbul), the first Transcontinental Railroad (Chicago to San Francisco) and the Rejuvenation Express (Beijing to Hong Kong). Each locomotive adventure reveals some of the rich history, culture, landscape and wildlife of the countries travelled. Take in the safari sights of Southern Africa, wrap up warm in the Arctic Circle, celebrate Chinese New Year and taste some tea in India whilst on a toy train – there's a whole world to discover when travelling by train!

Detailed, colourful illustrations by Sam Brewster brings the facts and journeys to life. Epic Adventures will appeal to culture-, travel-, locomotive-fans of all ages.

A Dinosaur Ate My Sister is the first book selected in the Marcus Rashford Book Club.

'The perfect story to escape into and find adventure. Pooja is super talented and I'm a big fan!' - Marcus Rashford MBE

This brilliantly illustrated, laugh-out-loud, wacky adventure through time by Pooja Puri is the perfect blend of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Jurassic Park.

Before you start reading, there are a few things you should know:

1. I, Esha Verma, am a genius inventor extraordinaire.

2. There is nothing I cannot invent. This includes words.

3. I did not mean to send my sister back to the Age of the Dinosaurs. That was HER OWN FAULT (Mum and Dad, if you’re reading this, please take note).

Esha Verma, her snotty apprentice Broccoli and his cunning pet tortoise have a dream. They are going to win the legendary Brain Trophy – the ultimate inventing prize. This year's entry: A TIME MACHINE.

But the day before the competition, Esha's IGNORAMUS big sister hijacks the time machine and is lost in the Cretaceous age.

With help from a new recruit for The Office of Time, Esha and Broccoli will have to face hungry dinosaurs, mysterious black holes and malfunctioning inventions to get them back in time.

The Marcus Rashford Book Club is a collaboration between Marcus Rashford and Macmillan Children's Books, inspiring children to develop a love of reading and literacy as a life skill.

Exploding Beetles And Inflatable Fish

Enter the hilarious world of Sam Quigley, the strange-fact-obsessed owner of two stick insects called Twiggy and Wiggy in Exploding Beetles and Inflatable Fish.

Sam really likes interesting facts, the kind that will make you shout "Wow! I never knew that". Things like:

- Woodlice don't wee – instead a smelly gas comes wafting out of their shells

- There is a fish with a stomach so stretchy it can swallow things twice as big as itself

- Bombardier beetles can explode like toxic water pistols!

Written by Tracey Turner, this STEM-focused book is packed with incredible facts and stats about the world’s weirdest animals. With a narrative that will have readers hooked, plus cool cartoon-style illustrations by Andrew Wightman, it’s a perfect book for fact fans, animal lovers and reluctant readers alike.

Lists For Curious Kids - Animals

This compelling, mind-blowing book of lists about the wonderful world of animals is un-put-down-able! Filled with details on topics from the most shudder-inducing bugs and the most popular breeds of cat to which animals can’t fart and how to escape from dangerous forest animals, this will be a must-have book in every child's collection! The pages are beautifully illustrated with the colourful and intricate artwork of popular illustrator Caroline Selmes. A great gift purchase but also a book to buy for yourself!

Lists For Curious Kids - Human Body

Do you want to know about nine popular hair styles from history, how digestion works in six easy steps, and eight questions about the human body that have no answers?

Then look no further because The Curious Book of Lists – Human Body by Rachel Delahaye is absolutely bursting with eye-popping and informative lists about your body, guaranteed to keep you entertained and increase your general knowledge at the same time!

Discover your body’s most curious bits and pieces, the most muscly gymnastics events, freaky human body museums … and the worst cures for the Black Death.

With quirky, colourful illustrations by Caroline Selmes, this is a great gift purchase but also a book to buy for yourself!

Vega Jane And The End Of Time

Packed with thrilling dangers and terrifying monsters Vega Jane and the End of Time is the fourth and final title in the epic, fast-paced fantasy adventures series for children of 10+ by bestselling master storyteller David Baldacci. Illustrated in black and white throughout by Tomislav Tomic.

When evil comes, heroes stand to meet it.

Vega Jane has tried to outrun, outsmart, and outlast her enemy, but the showdown she has dreaded is finally here. Her ragtag crew of friends and fighters must take a stand against a fully trained army, knowing the odds are impossible. But when you face injustice, the only choice is to stand and fight.

Vega Jane and the End of Time (previously published in the USA as the The Stars Below) is the fourth and final instalment of Vega's search for the truth about her past, which started with Vega Jane and the Secrets of Sorcery, Vega Jane and the Maze of Monsters and Vega Jane and the Rebels Revolt now all in revised and re-illustrated editions.

The Hospital Dog

Written by the brilliant Julia Donaldson and stunningly illustrated by the award-winning Sara Ogilvie, The Hospital Dog is a big-hearted tale about a very special, very brave dog. This board book edition of the story is perfect for little ones.

Here is a dog, a Dalmatian called Dot,

Is she quite ordinary? NO, SHE'S NOT!

After their breakfast and a swim in the sea, Dot and her owner Rose jump on the bus to the hospital. Dot loves visiting the children of Wallaby Ward and they're always pleased to see her too; from a crying baby to a bored teenager - a pat, a stroke and a cuddle with Dot cheers everyone up. But the work of the hospital dog doesn't stop there and when one of her patients is in trouble, it's up to Dot to save the day!

Winner of the Indie Book Awards 2021, this fantastic rhyming story comes from the bestselling partnership behind The Detective Dog.

The Snail And The Whale And Friends Outdoor Activity Book

Grab your wellies and head outdoors with this fun-filled activity book packed full of outdoor activities for children, including characters from four bestselling picture books by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.

Based on much-loved picture books including The Snail and the Whale and The Gruffalo's Child, and created by nature play specialists Little Wild Things, The Snail and the Whale and Friends Outdoor Activity Book is packed full of fun outdoor activities to encourage children and families to explore nature together. With easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions and lots of hints and tips, the whole family can get involved!

Includes activities based on: The Snail and the Whale, The Gruffalo's Child, The Smartest Giant in Town and A Squash and a Squeeze.

Enjoy more outdoor activities with The Gruffalo and Friends Outdoor Activity Book.

The Moomin 123: An Illustrated Counting Book

1 Moomin, round and white . . .

Take a journey through Moominvalley and count the colourful characters along the way! Tove Jansson's classic artwork is sensitively and beautifully adapted along with with beautiful, bold illustrations and newly-created numbers based on her archive drawings. Alongside the eye-catching artwork is easy-to-read text for first Moomin fans, in charming gentle rhyme, plus quotes from the original Moomin stories - perfect for reading aloud.

This title is part of Reading, Writing and the Moomins, a global Moomin initiative designed to help spread love and happiness through the joys of reading and writing. The Moomin 123: An Illustrated Counting Book showcases Moominvalley as you've never seen it before - a gorgeous gift book to treasure and read over and over again.

Publishing alongside The Moomin ABC: An Illustrated Alphabet Book, this pair of titles are a stunning introduction to Moominvalley - perfect for a special gift purchase or for any Moomin fan.

Dinosaur Honk! The Parasaurolophus

Meet Dinosaur Honk, a noisy Parasaurolophus, in this brilliant rhyming story, part of the collectable The World of Dinosaur Roar! series, in association with the Natural History Museum.

Dinosaur Honk's honk annoys all the other dinosaurs. She's too loud and causes chaos wherever she goes. Until one day, she discovers that her honk might just come in handy . . . With fantastic rhyming text written by series creator, Peter Curtis, Dinosaur Honk! The Parasaurolophus is perfect for preschool children.

Inspired by the classic picture book, Dinosaur Roar! by Paul Stickland and Henrietta Stickland, this colourful series introduces a cast of authentic dinosaur characters to very young children and is approved by Dr Paul Barrett of the Department of Earth Sciences at the Natural History Museum in London. Each book also contains a pronunciation guide, as well as two pages of simple dinosaur facts, making this the perfect gift for young dinosaur fans!

Discover more stories featuring these fun dinosaur characters: Dinosaur Squeak! The Compsognathus, Dinosaur Roar! The Tyrannosaurus rex, Dinosaur Munch! The Diplodocus . . . and more!

Northwind

From Gary Paulsen, the bestselling and much-loved author of Hatchet, comes another high-stakes survival story about a young boy on the knife-edge between life and death, where the raging seas meet a coastal wilderness.

When a deadly plague reaches the small fish camp where he lives, an orphan named Leif is forced to take to the water in a cedar canoe. He flees northward, following a wild, fjord-riven shore, thrown from one danger to the next, unsure of his destination. Yet the deeper into his journey he paddles, the closer Leif comes to his truest self as he connects to the heartbeat of the ocean, the pulse of the sea.

A stunning historical adventure with hints of Nordic mythology and an irresistible narrative pull, Northwind is Gary Paulsen at his captivating, adventuresome best.

Seed

'Some books are about magic. Some books ARE magic. Seed will cast a spell on you' - Frank Cottrell-Boyce

Seed is a funny, big-hearted story by award-winner Caryl Lewis about the power of hope and imagination when you believe in the impossible. Perfect for readers of 8-12. Illustrated in black and white throughout by George Ermos.

The heart of Wonder meets the humour of The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates.

Marty doesn't have much. Unlike his mum, who has billions of things: newspapers, holey shoes, rusty lawnmowers, broken picture frames - she keeps EVERYTHING! It's hard to leave the house. Marty does his best to look after her and wonders if anything will ever change.

But on Marty's birthday, Grandad, with a glint in his eye, gifts Marty a very special seed. Grandad hasn't been this excited since he invented the bum scratcher 2000 or thought he'd brewed wonder fuel from rhubarb leaves! The seed grows bigger and bigger, and launches Grandad, Marty and his best friend Gracie on an impossible, wondrous plan fuelled by love, hopes and dreams.

Perfect for fans of Ross Welford, Jenny Pearson and Lisa Thompson.

Aziza's Secret Fairy Door And The Mermaid's Treasure

Aziza's Secret Fairy Door and the Mermaid's Treasure is the fourth title in this fun and inclusive, young magical adventure series for readers of 6-8 from Lola Morayo. Inspired by fairies and creatures from world mythology this is gorgeously illustrated in black-and-white throughout by Cory Reid.

Aziza is excitedly packing her suitcase ready to go on holiday when she finds sand and seashells from the fairy door all over her room! Before long, she is stepping through the door and out onto Shimmerton's beach, where naughty fairies, the Gigglers, are causing havoc by accidentally awakening an ancient shell-walker who has been asleep for many years under the sand. Everyone scatters as the shell-walker grows bigger and bigger. What can be done? Aziza's new mermaid friend might just know someone who could help.

A Robot Squashed My Teacher

A Robot Squashed My Teacher is the laugh-out-loud, wacky adventure by Pooja Puri brilliantly illustrated by Allen Fatimaharan, the sequel to the Marcus Rashford Book Club Selected book A Dinosaur Ate My Sister.

Before you start reading, there are a few things you should know:

1. I, Esha Verma, am a genius inventor extraordinaire.

2. I like lists.

3. I did not mean to turn my teacher into a pigeon. Some things just can't be helped.

Esha Verma, her snotty apprentice Broccoli and his secretly cunning pet tortoise have a dream. They are going to win the legendary Brain Trophy - the ultimate inventing prize. This year's entry: The RoarEasy - a gadget that lets the user speak to animals.

But when Esha's arch-nemesis, fellow inventor Ernie, lands her in detention, the RoarEasy malfunctions and suddenly Monsieur Crepeau is TRANSFORMED INTO A PIGEON.

She, Broccoli, Archibald and Monsieur Crepeau will have to go undercover and break into the labs before the competition to return Monsieur Crepeau to his human form. And with Ernie following them, determined to foil their plans as they face giant robots, killer plants, shrinking machines, robo-spiders, clouds that make you float and terrifying twisters, they're going to need all the help they can get to get out of this wacky pickle.

Poems For 8 Year Olds

A brilliant collection of poems for 8 year olds packed with poems about friends, space, pets, nature, magic, family, school, adventure, compiled by Matt Goodfellow.

Includes classic and contemporary poems by , A.F. Harrold, Matt Goodfellow, Charles Causley, Laura Mucha, Jan Dean, Kate Wakeling, James Carter, Roger Stevens, Brian Moses and many more.

The 143-Storey Treehouse

There are lots of laughs at every level in The 143-Storey Treehouse, from the number one Treehouse series from Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton.

They've added thirteen new levels to their Treehouse, including a word-o-matic (it knows every word in the whole world!); a recycling depot; a wrecking ball; a deep, dark cave with a real live, fire-breathing dragon; a complaining room; a spooky graveyard (where it's always midnight, even in the middle of the day); and a camping ground where you can have a nice, relaxing camping holiday.

Andy's been a bit stressed, so Terry has decided the perfect way for them to relax is to head up to their new camping ground level for a much-needed holiday. But it turns out to be not quite as relaxing as Terry originally planned . . .

Terry forgets to pack the tent and the food, their attempt at fishing ends in disaster, the spooky campfire stories are a little too spooky and then, to make matters worse, all of Andy's fellow campers start mysteriously disappearing.

Can Andy brave the dark, dark woods and rescue them in time to finish writing their next book?

Well, what are you waiting for? Come on up!

Rumaysa: Ever After

Return to a Once Upon a Time where anything is possible . . . Rumaysa: Ever After is the enchanting sequel to Radiya Hafiza's Rumaysa: A Fairytale - a gorgeously empowering and funny story that spins the classic fairytale to show that anyone can be a hero.

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the fiercest one of all?

Ever since she escaped her tower, Rumaysa has been searching the land, far and wide, determined to find her long lost parents. But after she receives a mysterious invitation from Saira White, Queen of Bishnara, she is soon pulled into a dark, magical adventure, that threatens her own happily ever after . . .

This eagerly anticipated sequel enchantingly intertwines traditional stories of Princesses, Princes, Witches and Beasts with a fresh and empowering perspective, beautifully illustrated by Rhaida El Touny.

Sabotage On The Solar Express

Ride into danger with Hal and Uncle Nat on the fifth breathtaking Adventures on Trains Mystery, Sabotage on the Solar Express, from bestselling award-winners M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman. Perfect for readers of 8 to 12 and brilliantly illustrated in black and white throughout by Elisa Paganelli.

'A thrilling and hugely entertaining adventure story' - David Walliams on The Highland Falcon Thief, the first book in the series.

Billionaire train enthusiast August Reza has invited Harrison Beck and Uncle Nat on the maiden voyage of the Solar Express - the winning design of his Reza's Rocket competition. But during the journey, they discover the train has been sabotaged, hurtling passengers into a heart-stopping, action-packed, thrill ride across the Australian Outback. Can Hal find the saboteur and stop the runaway train before disaster strikes?

Sabotage on the Solar Express can be read as a stand-alone novel, or enjoyed as part of the Adventures on Trains series. Join Hal and Uncle Nat on more stops in this thrilling series with: The Highland Falcon Thief, Kidnap on the California Comet, Murder on the Safari Star, and Danger at Dead Man's Pass.

Praise for the Series:

'Like Murder on the Orient Express but better!' - Frank Cottrell-Boyce on The Highland Falcon Thief

'A first class choo-choo-dunnit!' - David Solomons on Kidnap on the California Comet

'A high-speed train journey worth catching . . .The best yet' - The Times on Murder on the Safari Star

'This series just gets better and better' - Maz Evans on Danger at Dead Man's Pass

The Breakfast Club Adventures

Dive into an exciting and mysterious adventure full of fun-filled friendships, fantastical creatures and incredible investigations by the #1 bestselling author Marcus Rashford!

The Breakfast Club Adventures: The Beast Beyond the Fence is the first fiction book by England International footballer, child food-poverty campaigner and bestselling author Marcus Rashford MBE, inspired by Marcus's own experiences growing up! Written with Alex Falase-Koya, it is the third title in the Marcus Rashford Book Club and is packed with tons of illustrations by Marta Kissi, making it the perfect book for children aged 8-11.

There's something fishy going on at school . . .

When twelve-year-old Marcus kicks his favourite football over the school fence, he knows he's never getting it back. Nothing that goes over that wall ever comes back. But when Marcus gets a mysterious note inviting him to join the Breakfast Club Investigators, he is soon pulled into an exciting adventure with his new mates Stacey, Lise and Asim to solve the mystery and get his football back!

Packed full of friendship, adventure, community and fun, you won't want to miss The Breakfast Club Adventures: The Beast Beyond the Fence, Marcus Rashford's first fiction book for children.

'Breakfast Club guaranteed I had the best possible start to my day and welcomed me with open arms. It wasn't just about food. It was about forming friendships, about togetherness, about escape. It was where some of my greatest memories were made. I want to capture that feeling in my debut fiction book.' - Marcus Rashford MBE

Aziza's Secret Fairy Door And The Birthday Present Disaster

Aziza's Secret Fairy Door and the Birthday Present Disaster is the third title in a fun and inclusive, young magical adventure series for readers of 6-8 from Lola Morayo. Inspired by fairies and magical creatures from world mythology it is gorgeously illustrated in black and white throughout by Cory Reid.

Aziza notices that the Secret Fairy Door in her bedroom is covered in a cute ribbon tied in a very messy bow. It's a sure sign that she's about to go on a new adventure.

Aziza opens the door and finds herself in the Palace just in time for Princess Peri's birthday party. Tiko is organizing the party and wants everything to be just right for his friend. There are party games, delicious food and lots of friends ready to celebrate. It's very exciting! But Peri needs Aziza's help when some special presents go missing. . .

Packed with mischief, friendship and magic, Aziza is perfect for fans of Isadora Moon.

Look out for other titles in the series: Aziza's Secret Fairy Door and the Mermaid's Treasure, coming soon.

Night Night Sleep Tight: Farm Animals

Put the farm animals to bed in Night Night Sleep Tight: Farm Animals! Little readers can help the sleepy baby animals settle down by turning the shaped 'blanket' pages and tucking them into bed.

Night Night Sleep Tight: Farm Animals has been created in partnership with The Sleep Charity – the experts in good sleep and effective bedtime routines – and features a page of tips at the back of the book to help with a calm, stress-free bedtime and a good night's sleep.

Written in gentle read-aloud rhymes and with colourful, stylish pictures, the calming, repetitive text and dreamlike illustrations in Night Night Sleep Tight: Farm Animals will soothe and relax young children. This book is the first collaboration between bestselling picture book author Lucy Rowland and acclaimed pattern designer and illustrator Monika Forsberg. Packed with features to aid pre-reading skills including a gentle counting element and tips for reading together, it's the perfect preschooler bedtime book.

Something Certain, Maybe

Something Certain, Maybe is a powerful novel about first love, friendships and embracing the uncertainty of an unknowable future, from Sara Barnard, winner of the YA Book Prize.

Rosie is ready for her life to begin, because nothing says new life like going to university. After years of waiting and working hard, she's finally on the road that will secure her future.

Except university turns out to be not what she hoped or imagined, and although she's not exactly unhappy – really – she might be a little bit worried that she doesn't really like her course much. Or her flatmates. Or, really . . . anything? But it's normal to be homesick (right?) and everything will have settled in a month or two, and it's totally fine that her friends seem so much happier than she is, and that the doctors don’t seem to know what’s wrong with her mother.

And then she meets Jade, and everything starts to look a little brighter. At least, it does if she’s only looking at Jade. But is first love enough when everything else is falling apart?

The Swallows' Flight

From the Costa Award-winning author Hilary McKay, comes a moving World War II story of family and friendship on opposite sides of a devastating conflict. The Swallows' Flight is the stunning companion novel to The Skylarks' War.

'It's not necessary to have read The Skylarks' War (though many beloved characters make reappearances) to be instantly and joyfully lost in this evocative, moving novel, showing McKay at the very top of her game.' - Imogen Russell-Williams, The Guardian

'Funny, poignant, wise and emotional. Full of achingly real characters (and also an excellent dog) . . . I eked out the final pages, not wanting it to end.' - Fiona Noble, The Bookseller

Erik and Hans are German boys. Ruby and Kate are English girls. They grow up in worlds that would never meet, until war tumbles their lives together.

Then one September afternoon there are choices to be made.

How is courage lost, and found?

'. . . a resounding success. . . McKay refuses to dumb down the history, writing with such clarity and understanding that you can't fail to be caught up in the cares of her loveable cast.' - Alex O'Connell, The Times Book of the Week

'McKay is a glutinously atmospheric writer, and this dense, action-packed saga - written during lockdown - is every bit as satisfying as its predecessor.' Emily Bearn, The Telegraph

'Separately and together, The Skylarks' War and The Swallows' Flight are pinnacles of children's literature.' -Nicolette Jones, The Sunday Times Book of the Week

'Meticulously researched, intelligent, warm and witty - this is McKay at her peerless peak.' Sally Morris, The Daily Mail

How To Be A Hero 3: A Gathering Of Giants

Take up the quest in the hilariously epic finale of the How to be a Hero series, A Gathering of Giants, from Cat Weldon, illustrated by Katie Kear.

Unlikely hero Whetstone and banished Valkyrie Lotta are in hiding.

Their quest to find the magic harp strings before Loki, the trickster God, can use them to bring chaos to the Nine Worlds has come to a dead end. And with the evil Valkyrie Glinting-Fire wreaking havoc on earth, nowhere is safe. Especially when Lotta can't control her strange new powers.

So when they overhear that Whetstone's mother, and the second harp string, are in imprisoned in the land of the Frost Giants, Whetstone decides that in order to beat Loki, he's going to have to act like a 'proper' hero and leave the thief he used to be behind.

But with an army of giants, traitorous trolls, brainwashed Valkyries and dangerous long-lost secrets, how can Whetstone and Lotta hope to win when they can't figure out how to be a hero and themselves at the same time?

The explosive finale in this funny, fast-paced series about how to be a friend, what it means to be a hero and just how confusing the Norse Gods really are.

Poems For 7 Year Olds

A fantastic collection of poems for 7 year olds filled with an incredible assortment of poems to dip into time and again, compiled by A.F. Harrold.

There are songs, funny poems, nonsense rhymes, word magic and poems about animals, adventure, fairy tales, food, friends, school and ghosts.

Includes classic and contemporary poems by Lewis Carroll, A.F. Harrold, Matt Goodfellow, Charles Causley, Laura Mucha, Jan Dean, Kate Wakeling, Sabrina Mahfouz, Paul Cookson, Brian Moses, John Siddique and many more.

The Misunderstandings Of Charity Brown

Inspired by award-winning author's Elizabeth Laird's own childhood growing up in post-war London, The Misunderstandings of Charity Brown is a classic coming-of-age story, perfect for fans of The Skylarks' War and I Capture the Castle.

Charity Brown's life is about to change - her family have been left a huge, rambling house by a mysterious benefactor, and her parents want to move in and throw open its doors to the needy.

Only recently back from hospital after months of isolation with polio, Charity is over-protected and lonely as the only child still at home. Her family are very religious - her sisters are called Faith and Hope, and her brother Ted is studying to be a preacher - so she's both excited and nervous at the thought of sharing her family and new home with strangers.

It's a recipe for confusion, joy and endless misunderstandings, including with the new neighbours, an Austrian family with a daughter just Charity's age . . .

Mole's Spectacles

Lift the flaps and join in the fun with Mole's Spectacles, a brilliant story in the bestselling Tales from Acorn Wood preschool series by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo.

Mole has lost his spectacles. He searches all around his house, in the garden and even in Weasel's sweetshop, but he can't find them anywhere! Where could they be? Lift the flaps to help him find them.

With sturdy flaps on every spread and rhyming stories that are a joy to read aloud, Mole's Spectacles joins the bestselling Tales from Acorn Wood which have been delighting parents and children for over twenty years.

More lift-the-flap adventures from Acorn Wood: Cat's Cookbook and Squirrel's Snowman.

The Stolen Slippers

The Stolen Slipper is the second title in the Never After series, a funny and exciting fantasy adventure where real life and fairy tales collide. Melissa de la Cruz, the bestselling author of Disney's Descendants series, expertly twists Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast for readers of 10+. Perfect for fans of Disney's Twisted Tales and the first title in the series, The Thirteenth Fairy.

Filomena Jefferson-Cho teams up once more with dashing Jack Stalker, adorable Alistair and glamorous Gretel for another adventure in the land of Never After, this time to get the glass slipper back from Cinderella!

And we're about to learn who Cinderella really is. Neither a heroine or a victim, Cinderella is manipulative and cunning, and will do anything to be the princess of Eastphalia. The true heroes are her twin stepsisters, Hori and Bea, who have been much maligned in reputation and whose lives have been effectively upended by their younger stepsister! For one, Prince Charming has been in love with Hori since they were children, but when King Gregor forces his son to throw a ball to pick a bride, Cinderella steals the spotlight and her happily-ever-after.

While attempting to help her sister, bookish Bea is captured by a terrible beast. Spells abound, ogres are unleashed, and evil will reign . . . or will it?

Only time and the bravery of Filomena's gang will tell!

Truth Be Told

The gripping new YA novel from Sue Divin, the acclaimed and Carnegie shortlisted author of Guard Your Heart.

Northern Ireland. 2019.

Tara has been raised by her mam and nan in Derry City. Faith lives in rural Armagh.

Their lives on opposite sides of a political divide couldn't be more different. Until they come face-to-face with each other and are shocked to discover they look almost identical. Are they connected?

In searching for the truth about their own identities, the teenagers uncover more than they bargained for.

But what if finding out who you truly are means undermining everything you've ever known?

Tokyo Dreaming

Return to Tokyo for a royal wedding in Tokyo Dreaming, by Emiko Jean - the sequel to the Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick and New York Times bestseller Tokyo Ever After

When Japanese-American Izumi Tanaka learned her father was the Crown Prince of Japan, she became a princess overnight. Now, she's overcome conniving cousins, salacious press, and an imperial scandal to finally find a place she belongs. She has a perfect bodyguard turned boyfriend. Her stinky dog, Tamagotchi, is living with her in Tokyo. Her parents have even rekindled their college romance and are engaged. A royal wedding is on the horizon! Izumi's life is a Tokyo dream come true. Only...

Her parent's engagement hits a brick wall. The Imperial Household Council refuses to approve the marriage citing concerns about Izumi and her mother's lack of pedigree. And on top of it all, her bodyguard turned boyfriend makes a shocking decision about their relationship. At the threat of everything falling apart, Izumi vows to do whatever it takes to help win over the council. Which means upping her newly acquired princess game.

But at what cost? Izumi will do anything to help her parents achieve their happily ever after, but what if playing the perfect princess means sacrificing her own? Will she find a way to forge her own path and follow her heart?

Mark My Words

Is the truth as simple as black and white? Mark My Words is the searing novel from Branford Boase Award-winner and 2020 World Book Day author Muhammad Khan, asking who you can trust when all you see is lies.

'A brilliant and powerful story that kept me on the edge of my seat. The protagonist is extremely compelling and relatable, a warrior through and through - you'll root for Dua the entire way!' - Nikita Gill

'A bold and timely book about protest and finding your voice.' - The Observer

Fifteen-year-old Dua Iqbal has always had trouble minding her own business. With a silver-tongue and an inquisitive nature, a career in journalism seems fated. When her school merges with another, Dua seizes her chance and sets up a rival newspaper, exposing the controversial stories that teachers and the kids who rule the school would rather keep buried.

Dua's investigations are digging up things she shouldn't get involved with about family, friends and her community and as exams rattle towards her, she needs to make some hard decisions about when to leave things alone. But when she discovers that some kids at school are being blamed for selling drugs when the real perpetrator is right in front of their noses, she can't keep quiet any longer.

'A voice long overdue in British fiction' - Alex Wheatle on I Am Thunder

'Khan has created a book steeped in drama and empathy, as well as providing two iconic superheroes' - Nikesh Shukla on Kick the Moon

Lists For Curious Kids: Human Body

Do you want to know about nine popular hair styles from history, how digestion works in six easy steps, and eight questions about the human body that have no answers?

Then look no further because Lists for Curious Kids – Human Body by Rachel Delahaye is absolutely bursting with eye-popping and informative lists about your body, guaranteed to keep you entertained and increase your general knowledge at the same time!

Discover your body’s most curious bits and pieces, the most muscly gymnastics events, freaky human body museums … and the worst cures for the Black Death.

With quirky, colourful illustrations by Caroline Selmes, this is a great gift purchase but also a book to buy for yourself!

Lists For Curious Kids: Animals: 206 Fun, Fascinating And Fact-Filled Lists

Do you want to know twelve egg-laying animals that aren't birds, nine animals without brains, and how to say woof in sixteen different languages?

Then look no further because Lists for Curious Kids: Animals is absolutely bursting with 206 interesting and informative lists, guaranteed to keep you entertained and increase your animal knowledge at the same time!

Discover animal invaders, the top 10 most popular pets, fish that light up the ocean, very long snakes . . . and a slam-dunking, basketball-playing rabbit!

With quirky, colourful illustrations by Caroline Selmes, this is a great gift purchase but also a book to buy for yourself!

Any Way The Wind Blows (Simon Snow 3)

In Carry On, Simon Snow and his friends realized that everything they thought they understood about the world might be wrong. And in Wayward Son, they wondered whether everything they understood about themselves might be wrong.

In Any Way the Wind Blows, Simon and Baz and Penelope and Agatha have to decide how to move forward.

For Simon, that means deciding whether he still wants to be part of the World of Mages – and if he doesn't, what does that mean for his relationship with Baz? Meanwhile Baz is bouncing between two family crises and not finding any time to talk to anyone about his newfound vampire knowledge. Penelope would love to help, but she's smuggled an American Normal into London, and now she isn't sure what to do with him. And Agatha? Well, Agatha Wellbelove has had enough.

Any Way the Wind Blows takes the gang back to England, back to Watford, and back to their families for their longest and most emotionally wrenching adventure yet.

This book is a finale. It tells secrets and answers questions and lays ghosts to rest.

Carry On was conceived as a book about Chosen One stories; Any Way the Wind Blows is an ending about endings. About catharsis and closure, and how we choose to move on from the traumas and triumphs that try to define us.