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Poetry

A two-colour graphic novel about speaking-up and standing out when you feel different. Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier

How do you find your voice when everyone around you is telling you to be quiet?

Frankie is different, and so is her best-friend, Sam. So when they both start secondary school, it’s tough. Particularly when there are so many rules to follow, like: No talking in class! Be quiet in the hallways! Silence for assembly!

Frankie doesn’t know how she’ll manage, because constantly talking is how she copes. So when she gets the chance to compete in a Battle of the Bands contest, Frankie couldn’t be more excited. Except, to have a band, you need to have band members. And to have band members, you need to be good at making friends…

Can Frankie learn to find her voice and stand out?

A unique perspective on Autism, told with humour and heart.

Brought to life with glorious colour artwork in a distinctive blue and orange palette.

Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier.

Picturebook

The special relationship between a child and his grandmother is depicted in this sumptuous book by an award-winning team.

Inspired by memories of his childhood, Jordan Scott’s My Baba’s Garden explores the sights, sounds and smells experienced by a child spending time with their beloved grandmother (Baba), with special attention to the time they spent helping her tend her garden, searching for worms to keep it healthy. They visit her every day and find her hidden in the steam of boiling potatoes, a hand holding a beet, a leg opening a cupboard, an elbow closing the fridge, humming like a night full of bugs when she cooks. A ritualistic relationship with few words, rooted in feeling and emotion.

Chapter book

Dimple the gnome is upset and he doesn’t know how to talk about it – but then along comes the Boo … A charming new Gem from the bestselling author of Squishy McFluff.

Yucky cabbage pie! Mean Mrs Miskin! Stupid spelling test!

Oh dear, Dimple the Gnome is having a very bad day and he just can’t find the right words to tell anyone how he’s feeling. Then Dimple finds the Boo, who lets everyone know what’s going on. But the Boo’s rude words and naughty noises just get Dimple into trouble. Can Dimple find another way to express himself?

Picturebook

“The cool on my toes felt kind of nice.
As Mama held me tight, I thought:
Maybe I’ll go in next time.”

A child’s first encounter with the sea leaves them feeling small and scared. What could be hiding in the dark depths below? When the family visits a lake and a river, the child’s fear of water gradually starts to ebb as curiosity begins to flow. But playing in the water still doesn’t feel right. Mama says there is no rush to try swimming, and that the water will wait. Maybe next time?

This gently powerful story about taking your time and listening to yourself, with lyrical words from Emily Joof, reminds us that it’s okay for progress to be gradual. Bold and dynamic illustrations from Matilda Ruta bring the journey to life with warmth and vibrancy. A perfect book for any child who is feeling nervous about new experiences.

Picturebook

This fabulous picture book from superstar author and illustrator Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler is a riot of slapstick fun and silliness. The Baddies are the meanest, nastiest ghost, witch and troll in the land.

They just adore being bad, and fight over who is the worst.

When a little girl moves into a nearby cottage, the Baddies can’t wait to scare her out of her wits.

But the little girl quickly shows them that you don’t have to be big to be brave, and baddies don’t always win.

A brilliant paperback edition for new and old fans alike.

Perfect read-aloud rhyming text and stunning pictures on every page with lots of details to spot.

Julia and Axel are the team that have created picture book favourites such as The Gruffalo, Stick Man, Zog and The Smeds and The Smoos – all of which have been made into animated films premiering on BBC1 Christmas Day.

Chapter book

Unlock the legends. Unleash the magic. Save your home. ‘An exciting, heartrending story with a magical twist’ – Jacqueline Wilson

Fablehouse is a children’s home like no other. It’s a safe haven for Heather and her friends, sheltering them from a society that won’t accept the colour of their skin. But soon that is not the only danger that threatens them. When mysterious spirits infiltrate the house, stealing away some of the children, the friends must follow them to the heart of the underworld. There they find a magical court from Arthurian legend, where bewitched creatures are hatching a plan to take over the human world. With Pal, the gallant Black Knight, by their side, Heather and friends must resist the glamour of the Fae and battle the Champion. Can they find the inner strength they’ll need to save their home?

Chapter book

Ita is afraid of lots of things. She’s afraid of talking to her classmates at her new school. She’s afraid of walking through her new town. But most of all she is afraid of water.

When one day she realises the river in her new town turns her into a fish, she is forced to face up to her fears. In doing so, can she bring her family together again?

With themes of change, and deftly tackling the topic of fear for younger readers, this is another heart-warming and beautifully-written early reader by Polly Ho-Yen, filled with charming artwork by Sojung Kim-McCarthy.

Picturebook

From the creator of Barbara Throws a Wobbler – the ultimate story to chase (and laugh) your worries away.

Geoffrey’s got the jitters! It started last night when he was thinking about school – a funny, wiggly feeling in his tummy that grew and grew. But when Geoffrey’s tummy jitters started talking to him – that’s when he knew they were out of control. Geoffrey had to do something…

Through a laugh-out-loud story and loveable character, Nadia Shireen shows how to understand and dispel anxieties, one jitter at a time.

Selected as one of The Sunday Times Best Children’s Book of the Year.

Picturebook

A fee-fi-fo-festive treat for Supertato fans this Christmas – an unmissable adventure in this super bestselling series! As seen on TV!

It’s showtime in the supermarket as Supertato and the veggies put on their very own production of Jack and the Beanstalk, starring The Evil Pea as Jack and Supertato as Jack’s mum.

There are thrills, spills and the return of a familiar-looking melon-bot as this hilarious, panto-tastic show unfolds. Will Jack’s beans bring him riches beyond his wildest dreams? Will Jack and Supermum be able to escape the fearsome giant?

All will be revealed…

Picturebook

Finn is in a horrible mood and doesn’t want to talk about it, but after some persuading, agrees to go for a hike with Grandpa. Throughout their forest walk, they see many different things: big, strong trees with networks of roots growing underneath, still water with schools of fish swimming below, and an expectant bird with eggs nestled under her. Grandpa explains that people also have hidden feelings beneath the surface, and despite appearances, may be feeling the say way you do.

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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