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Age Group: KS2

Picturebook

A bee flies in the window of the high-rise flat where she lives and a little girl is frightened. She traps the bee and then wonders what to do. This beautiful wordless picture book traces the growing friendship between girl and bee and introduces small children to the ecology of the natural world. Highlighting the plight of the disappearing bumble bee, it shows how some simple actions can help restore beauty and balance in our environment. With a list of bee-friendly seeds to plant and ways to protect bees at home.

Chapter book

The first book in a warm and beautifully observed farm adventure series from Nicola Baker, star of Our Farm in the Dales. Perfect for readers 8+ and fans of Jacqueline Wilson, Michael Morpurgo, Dick King Smith and The Snow Foal. With stunning illustrations from Rachael Dean throughout.

When ten-year-old Ava moves to Whistledown Farm while her parents are working abroad, she must swap city life for mud, wellies and animals. But as one catastrophe follows another, will Ava learn to love life on the farm and find hope in nature? And can a very special little lamb show Ava that when all might seem lost, hope can be found…

Chapter book

A family fairytale from bestselling author, actor and comedian, Ben Miller. Lana and Harrison are staying with their grandparents, when they discover their favourite tree to play in is under threat. That night, a magical golden thread leads them up through the hollow of the tree into a storybook land, where wind and rain rage and a fearsome beast terrifies all who live there.

When Harrison is kidnapped by the evil Queen, Lana must do whatever it takes to find him, save the villagers and restore the balance of the storybook world, before the night is out.

Chapter book

Uncover tales of ancient beasts, in this beautiful anthology of mythologies

This book introduces children to the thrilling mythological beasts from ancient civilisations. Discover 23 stories accompanied by beautiful, colourful illustrations. Through the incredible storytelling you can learn about fantastic creatures such as the Japanese baku, which had the power to devour nightmares, the wise Egyptian Sphinx, and the fearsome Minotaur who went head-to-head with Theseus in Greek mythology. Featured pages highlight amazing real-life photos of objects, showing how each beast was represented in art.

A perfect, global introduction to the most fascinating stories about legendary creatures from ancient history.

Chapter book

A charming domestic comedy, with a dash of magic, and the occasional moment of mayhem!

These are the memoirs of ME, Holly Hopkinson, aged almost ten, except without any of the rubbish adults usually put in, thank you very much.

My dad just lost his job, which means me and the rest of my family have to leave London and move to the middle of nowhere, which is a TOTAL DISASTER! There’s no Wi-Fi, the local kids are FERAL and there’s animal poo EVERYWHERE.

But then for my birthday, my eccentric aunt gave me a magic pocket watch, which I can use to hypnotise and CONTROL people. I actually wanted a new phone, but I won’t complain because this new power is REALLY FUN and has led to the MOST unexpected things – including a visit to the QUEEN.

Maybe the countryside isn’t so bad after all…

Chapter book

Puffin Classics: the definitive collection of timeless stories, for every child.

Heracles hauling the triple-headed dog Cerberus from the underworld. Jason voyaging across oceans to seize the golden fleece. Odysseus and the Trojan wars. Tales of the Greek Heroes tells the mysterious and exciting legends of the gods and heroes in Ancient Greece.

Greek mythology has inspired stories for thousands of years, with tales of lost love and magic. Join our heroes in their journeys of resilience and revenge, guilt and love, and trials and betrayal.

This edition includes a special introduction by Rick Riordan, creator of the highly successful Percy Jackson series, inspired by the great Greek myths.

Chapter bookDyslexia-friendly

Try as he might, Arun simply cannot wriggle his way out of taking the maths test at school. Instead, he must learn to face his fears in this encouraging and relatable school story from Serena Patel.

Maths test? Nightmare! Arun is determined to get out of a Maths test at school. But how? A school-wide protest against all tests? Pretending to be sick? He’s ready to try anything, but maybe he’s not the only one who feels this way, and maybe in the end it’s better to face your fears?

Chapter book

Fun, fast-paced, high-octane action adventure, 21% Monster is a perfect page-turning new series for fans of Alex Rider, Percy Jackson and the MCU generation.

When Darren Devlin is arrested for destroying his school with his bare hands, it’s not just the police who are after him. Enter Marek Masters, 14 years old, 19% alien, and the most intelligent, most wanted “almost human” alive. Marek is here to tell Darren the truth – he is 21% monster, and together they must take down the secret organisation that created them.

Darren and Marek are wanted, powerful and dangerous. And now it’s payback time.

Chapter book

The journey winds through me, twisted and turned, like a difficult second spine…

Having escaped their city, Juniper Green and her brother Bear have settled in Ennerdale with their dad and his family. Every day the Wild introduces them to a new wonder, but Juniper can’t stop worrying about her grandmother and best friend left behind. When she hears news that disease has entered the city, she’s determined to bring her loved ones to safety.

Trapped in a city riddled with disease and run by a ruthless leader, Etienne longs for the Wild. With the guards becoming more aggressive to counteract the growing rebellion, Etienne’s prepared to fight for his freedom. But will he be able to protect himself and keep those around him safe until Juniper returns from the Wild?

The compelling and thought-provoking sequel to the much-loved WHERE THE WORLD TURNS WILD, this ecological adventure is perfect for fans of THE LAST BEAR, RUNNING ON THE ROOF OF THE WORLD and THE LAST WILD.

Returning for its sixth year, the Alligator’s Mouth Award celebrates the best in highly illustrated children’s fiction.  We’re thrilled to see plenty of our favourite illustrated titles among the 10 longlisted books, including Bear and Bird, Adventuremice: Otter Chaos and Tiny, the Secret Adventurer and we are delighted that our founder, Alison Leach, is joining the judging panel this year.

The Alligator’s Mouth Award recognises a key part of children’s fiction. Young illustrated fiction plays a special role in many children’s reading journeys, bridging the gap between picture books and longer chapter books. Finding the right book at this stage can be a magical experience that sparks a lifelong love of reading. The Alligator’s Mouth Award provides a brilliant platform for showcasing the most exciting and imaginative offerings that authors and illustrators bring to the table for this age group.

The shortlist will be announced in May, and the winner will be revealed in July.

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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