Author & Illustrators

Steven Lenton Books

How to Grow a Reindeer

Picturebook

Join Sarah and Mr Pottifer in their magical plant shop, where fantastical creatures grow on trees!

It’s nearly Christmas Day when an unexpected visitor arrives – it’s Santa, and he needs their help!

His reindeer are in bed with Antler Flu and without them, he can’t deliver his presents on time. But growing well-behaved reindeer isn’t as easy as it seems. . . and before long the mischevious creatures have created a rather MERRY MESS!

Can Sarah figure out a way to save Christmas before it’s too late?

This rhyming story full of festive fun celebrates being different, and the importance of teamwork.

How to Grow a Mermaid

Rachel Morrisroe & Steven Lenton

Picturebook

How to Grow a Mermaid is a lovely book targeted at younger children due to its rhyming style and humour. This is the latest in a series of ‘How to Grow’ books by Rachel Morrisroe that have already featured unicorns and dragons. Each book ends with a clue as to what the next creature might be and this one is no different. The illustrations by Steven Lenton give the book the magical feel that the words on the page express. Each time you look at a page, you spot a new detail you may have missed before. Although the story is mystical and magical, it is also underpinned by the value of friendship and what that means.

The Boy Who Got Accidentally Famous

David Baddiel & Steven Lenton

Chapter book

From million-copy bestselling author David Baddiel comes a laugh-out-loud story for readers of 8 and up that takes you on a roller-coaster ride of fame and friendship…

Nothing extraordinary has ever happened to Billy Smith. In fact, every single thing about him is ordinary, including his name. But when a documentary crew turns up at Billy’s school to film the new TV series School Daze, everything changes.

Billy shouldn’t stand out: all the other kids are much more interesting than him. But when remixes of his boring class presentation go viral, Billy finds himself accidentally an overnight star. With his friends Bo and Rinor by his side, his life turns into a whirlwind of red carpets, TV shows, albums and even the possibility of meeting Sunshine De Marto – the coolest girl on the planet. But as everyone knows, fame comes with a price…

The Boy Who Got Accidentally Famous is an epically entertaining tale, brought to life with illustrations by the brilliant Steven Lenton, which asks the question – what if everyone suddenly knew your name…?

Future Friend

David Baddiel & Steven Lenton

Chapter book

From million-copy bestselling author David Baddiel comes a laugh-out-loud and inspiring new adventure for all readers of 8 and up that is ahead of its time – 1,001 years ahead, to be precise…

The year is 3020.

Pip@256X#YY.3_7 is lonely and bored: she goes to virtual school on her G-Glasses, she only has a talking cat and parrot to hang out with, and she can’t even leave her LivingSpace due to the extreme heat and floods outside.

Until the day that Pip explores a glowing ring in a lab and finds herself in a warehouse, in 2019.

Where she meets boy-inventor Rahul – who is also lonely and bored.

Together, Rahul and Pip are no longer lonely. But they have a whole load of new problems, including hiding talking animals from Rahul’s parents, and finding a way back to the future.

Plus – just maybe – saving the world…

Future Friend is a terrifically entertaining time-slip adventure that combines action, laugh-out-loud humour and the importance of friendship, in a story that asks the question – what would happen if your best friend came from the future?

Only Children

David Baddiel & Jim Field & Steven Lenton

Short story collection

MEET ALFIE… THE BOY WHO COULD DO WHAT HE LIKED!
Previously published for World Book Day 2016
Alfie has a routine. To be honest he has a lot of routines.
But then one day Alfie’s babysitter is unavailable, and Alfie’s parents get Mrs Stokes instead. Mrs Stokes doesn’t do routines. Instead, she just tells Alfie to do what he likes. And that’s when things start to go weird.
Does everything get hilariously out of control? Yes.
Does Alfie learn a valuable lesson? Nah. This isn’t that kind of story…

DISCOVER CHRISSIE… THE GIRL WHO HAD NEVER BEEN ON A TRAIN!
Chrissie loves trains. She has train books, train pictures – and, of course, model trains. But Chrissie has never been on an actual train. In part, because Chrissie doesn’t find getting around as easy as other people. Then, Chrissie finally gets on a train, with her Grandpa Henry, to go down to London for an important operation. Her parents and Henry hope the journey will take Chrissie’s mind off things.

And they’re right: but in a way they couldn’t possibly imagine. Because Chrissie’s trip from Scotland to London turns out to be quite literally magical – and changes her life forever.

MARVEL AT ARIEL… THE CHILD WHO HAD NEVER BEEN ON HOLIDAY!
Every year, Max, Lily and Jack are taken to Snoring-On-Sea for their holiday – quite possibly the most boring town in the world. There’s nothing to do and nothing to see – even the beach at Snoring-on-Sea is dull and grey.

But this year, something DOES happen. The children meet someone on a tiny island out at sea – a mysterious child called Ariel. Ariel claims to have never left their tiny island, and to Ariel, everything about Max, Lily and Jack’s lives is amazing – fish and chips, fizzy drinks… even the view of the brick wall out of their bedroom window.

And their new friend forces Max, Lily and Jack to see Snoring-On-Sea in a whole new light…

Three hilarious, heart-warming and adventure-filled stories that will have you laughing out loud!

Dino Dad: Ice Age

Andy Day & Steven Lenton

Chapter book

A magical dino-tastic adventure series from children’s TV superstar Andy Day, with amazing illustrations from illustrator powerhouse Steven Lenton!

What if YOUR dad could change into a dinosaur?

Hello! It’s me, Ruby Thumb. You might remember me and my dad – we’re famous POOPAs. What do you mean you’ve not heard of us? And you don’t know what a POOPA is?! It means we’re Protector Of Our Dinosaur Allies – obviously!

Me and my dad have loads of amazing adventures in Dinotropolis – an incredible island, full of dinosaurs who live just like us humans do. And when we go there using our special magic Ammonite shell, we turn into dinosaurs too!

I can’t wait to tell you all about our amazing frozen adventure. We had to rescue a baby woolly mammoth, and make sure it got back safely to its mummy – as well as un-freeze Dinotropolis! It was pretty roarsome – now let me tell you all about it!

A hilarious and brilliantly illustrated easy-to-read story peppered with real dino facts – perfect for any young dinosaur-lover!

Dino Dad

Andy Day & Steven Lenton

Chapter book

Dino Dad by children’s TV presenter Andy Day is a roaringly appealing chapter book for KS1.

Voiced by the spirited Ruby Roo, the story reveals her dad’s secret role as a “POOPA” (Protector of our Prehistoric Allies) when her sister vanishes.

This book is a fantastic illustrated chapter book for younger children, blending exciting family adventures with fascinating dinosaur facts. Ruby’s journey to a hidden island where she discovers transformation powers makes it a hugely entertaining start to a fun new series that’s sure to be a firm favourite.

For more information, head to our guest blog post from Andy Day, all about Dino Dad and the world of children’s books.

Noah’s Gold

Frank Cottrell Boyce & Steven Lenton

Chapter book

I absolutely loved this book! The narrative is cleverly formed through a series of witty one-sided letters from Noah to his family as we are taken along on his surprising adventure.

Noah’s journey begins with him sneaking aboard the bus for his sister’s geography field trip. Little did he know, satnavs don’t always get it right and the group end up on the remote and uninhabited island of AranOr without their teacher or any means of getting home.

The children soon realise that their phones don’t work, the internet is broken (for which Noah gets the blame) and they are going to have to survive by looking after each other and eating whatever they can find. When Noah finds a treasure map, the gang searches for gold and the solution to all their problems – fixing the internet so that they can return home. The characters all learn a lot about themselves and each other along the way as the story unfolds.

Noah, as the smallest and youngest – and also the person who seems to be responsible for everything going wrong – is a humorous and likeable character who I really rooted for throughout the story. He is the proof that ‘being the smallest doesn’t stop you having big ideas.’ Brimming with the author’s trademark humour and heart and coupled with Steven Lenton’s engaging back-and-white illustrations, this is a hugely entertaining story that readers that will appeal widely to readers across Key Stage 2.

Sputnik’s Guide to Life on Earth

Frank Cottrell Boyce & Steven Lenton

Chapter book

Sputnik’s Guide to Life on Earth by Frank Cottrell-Boyce is an adventure about the Blythes: a big, warm, rambunctious family who live on a small farm and sometimes foster children. Now Prez has come to live with them. But, though he seems cheerful and helpful, he never says a word.

Then one day Prez answers the door to someone claiming to be his relative. This small, loud stranger carries a backpack, walks with a swagger and goes by the name of Sputnik. The family all think Sputnik is a dog and chaos is unleashed as suddenly household items come to life – like a TV remote that fast-forwards people and a toy lightsaber that entertains guests at a children’s party, until one of them is nearly decapitated by it – and Prez is going to have to use his voice to explain himself.

As Sputnik takes Prez on a journey to finish writing his guidebook to Earth called Ten Things Worth Doing on Earth, each adventure seems to take Prez nearer to the heart of the family he is being fostered by, but they also take him closer to the day that he is due to leave them forever . . .

Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam: Train Trouble

Steven Lenton & Tracey Corderoy

Picturebook

Shifty and Sam are working as chefs aboard the Pawrient Express during its voyage to Venice. The train is full of posh people who all have diamonds and jewels. Also on board, disguised as a porter, is Kitty Le Claw. What is that thieving feline up to this time?

This lovely, rhyming picture book is perfect for young readers. The bright, colourful illustrations are perfect for the story. The story is entertaining and exciting with the great chase when the duo of chefs are in pursuit of Kitty. And what could be more fun than a ride on a steam train? I think this book is perfect for a storytime or bedtime read.

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