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Age Group: KS1

Chapter bookShort story collection

Ten stunning Shakespeare retellings from the master storyteller, with an introduction by Benedict Cumberbatch

Featuring re-tellings of ten of Shakespeare’s plays, and beautifully written with Michael Morpurgo’s warm, accessible and inimitable style, this wonderful collection offers a new generation of readers the chance to discover the magic of Shakespeare – the perfect introduction to the Bard and an unmissable book for children.

Stunningly illustrated throughout with contributions from ten different artists, each with a special connection to the author, and published in a beautiful hardback edition, Tales from Shakespeare is a glorious tribute to both Shakespeare and Michael Morpurgo, making this the perfect gift.

A contemporary Lamb’s Tales for a new generation.

Featuring:

Macbeth, illustrated by Dapo Adeola
The Taming of the Shrew, illustrated by Joelle Avelino
Romeo and Juliet, illustrated by Peter Bailey
The Tempest, illustrated by Barroux
Twelfth Night, illustrated by Ian Beck
Henry V, illustrated by Christian Birmingham
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, illustrated by Alona Millgram
Hamlet, illustrated by Tom Clohosy Cole
King Lear, illustrated by Michael Foreman
The Winter’s Tale, illustrated by Sam Usher

Picturebook

Jacki’s mama has a rare condition. She is slowly losing her hearing. Together, they are learning Sign Language so that they’ll always be able to tell each other everything. But as Mama’s world becomes quieter, Jacki’s remains full of sound, especially on Music Appreciation Fridays. How can Jacki enjoy listening to music when her mama can no longer hear it? A heartfelt story, inspired by the author’s childhood, about a young girl coming to terms with her mother’s hearing loss and finding new ways to experience the world, together.

Picturebook

A powerful and standout sea-life story featuring one very small and determined blue whale from bestselling and award-winning author and illustrator Rob Biddulph

Meet Gigantic, the smallest blue whale in the Atlantic. Dwarfed by the other whales, Gigantic keeps to himself, making new friends and perfecting his somersaults and flips in the bay.

But one day when Gigantic’s brother, Titan, gets stuck on the sand, it’s down to Gigantic and his smallest sea creature friends to save the day. Can they show it’s possible to be tiny and tough?

A swimmingly good story about little fins and big hearts from bestselling author and illustrator, Rob Biddulph.

Picturebook

Santa meets Cinderella in this funny, fractured fairy tale by bestselling author Suzy Senior (Octopants, Unicorn Club, The Hotel for Bugs).

Oh no! It’s a chilly, frosty Christmas Eve and Santa’s hurt his back. He cannot fly the sleigh or even lift his sack! Is Christmas ruined? Not if Cinderella has anything to do with it! Leaving her mean step-sisters behind, she offers to give Santa a hand, and – along the way – travels the world. But Santa has one more gift in his sleigh. Could it be the chance for Cinderella to write her own happily-ever-after?

Packed with a rollicking rhyme and hilarious illustrations from Lucy Semple (Watch Out, Wolf! There’s a Baddie in Your Book) this fab feminist retelling of a classic fairy tale challenges stereotypes and is a joy to read aloud. Fans of fractured fairy tales like Little Red by Bethan Woollvin, Fearless Fairy Tales by Konnie Huq, James Kay and Rikin Parekh, and The Fairytale Hairdresser and Father Christmas by Abie Longstaff and Lauren Beard, will love this joyous story full of festive magic and wonder.

Picturebook

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s tender and magical classic fable, adapted for picture book readers for the very first time!

A beautiful gift edition of this touching and wise classic children’s book.

The characters of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s classic tale have captured the hearts of generations of readers. Meet the pilot stranded in the desert. Meet the Little Prince who tends his beautiful rose on a planet of his own. Follow him as he embarks on a strange and wonderful journey to puzzling new planets and finally to Earth, where he discovers the nature of love.

Picturebook

Merry Christmas!’ said Fox.
‘Merry whatmas?’ said Hedgehog.
‘Merry whichmas?’ said Tortoise.

You see, it was Hedgehog and Tortoise’s first Christmas.
So they didn’t know what Christmas was.

Fox thinks Christmas is about presents, Badger thinks it’s about pudding, Magpie thinks it’s about singing . . . Tortoise and Hedgehog begin to feel rather overwhelmed with all the noise and fuss. But in a quiet moment of reflection they learn the most important lesson of all: Christmas is about being with the ones you love.

Picturebook

Santa needs a new reindeer in this third hilarious Christmas must-have picture book, from the duo who brought you Santa’s New Beard and Santa’s New Sleigh!

One week to go ’till Christmas Day,
The final touches underway,
A ribbon here, a flourish there,
And presents piled up everywhere.

Santa smiled. ‘What could go wrong?’
He didn’t have to wait too long . . .
Out of the sky a whirling blur,
Of antlers, legs and soft brown fur,

Came crashing through the workshop roof,
And that’s how Rudolph sprained his hoof . . .

Oh no! Another Christmas disaster! The sleigh can’t fly without Rudolph. Luckily, head engineer Lizzie is on hand to help . . . introducing ROBO-REINDEER! Christmas is saved once more.

Picturebook

The festive fourth instalment in the bestselling Poo in the Zoo series by dream team Steve Smallman and Ada Grey!

It’s Christmas Eve and zookeeper Bob McGrew is rushed off his feet. There’s so much to do, and to make matters worse all the poop has turned to ice in the freezing weather! But when Santa makes a surprise appearance at the zoo with a poorly reindeer in tow, it seems that Christmas really is in peril . . . Can plucky Rhino save the day? And will Hector Gloop ever catch a flying festive poo?

This hilarious rhyming text combines Christmas, Santa and POO in a story that will have children – and adults – laughing out loud. Packed with humour and poop-filled gags, this is the perfect Christmas gift for fans of The Dinosaur That Pooped Christmas by Tom Fletcher, Dougie Poynter and Garry Parsons, Rudey’s Windy Christmas by Helen Baugh and Ben Mantle, and Jingle Smells by Mark Sperring and Sophie Corrigan.

Also available: Poo in the Zoo, Poo in the Zoo: The Great Poo Mystery, Poo in the Zoo: The Island of Dinosaur Poo.

Chapter book

The perfect gift for any child this Christmas. From Alex T. Smith, bestselling author of festive favourites How Winston Delivered Christmas, How Winston Came Home for Christmas and The Grumpus, comes a gorgeous retelling of children’s Christmas classic The Nutcracker – a Christmas Story in twenty-four-and-a-half chapters.

The Mouse King is up to some very sneaky shenanigans.

The night before Christmas, he steals the key to the Kingdom of Sweets and sets out to cause as much festive mayhem as he can!

Clara and Fritz Strudel, and their new friend the Nutcracker, are the only ones who can stop him. But when a magical curse is put on Fritz, it’s a race against time to make it to the Kingdom of Sweets and find the Sugar Plum Fairy – the only one who can break the spell!

Can the adventurers stop the Mouse King’s naughty plan and save Fritz, before it’s too late?

With irresistible colour illustrations, a festively foiled cover and a chapter to enjoy each day in December, this gorgeous hardback is the perfect gift for any child at Christmas.

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