Branching Out: Books for Fans of Rainbow Magic

The first in a joy-filled series of illustrated chapter books, telling the funny story of Mira’s adventures as she starts unicorn school. Mira wishes to be paired up with the most beautiful, sparkly unicorn of her dreams, but the reality presents a grumpy, untidy, doughnut-eating unicorn named Dave.

This humorous adventure series explores themes of friendship, inclusion and loyalty, with a backdrop of rainbows, glitter and a dose of unicorn toilet humour, too. Children love the idea of the secret unicorn school – a bit like a sparklier version of Hogwarts. Illustrations, age-appropriate humour and a diverse cast of characters make this a super choice of chapter book story for readers aged 6-8.

A brilliant new series from the very talented Serena Patel. In the first book of this series, we are introduced to eight-year-old Pia, who is crazy about animals and even more so as she isn’t allowed one of her own. She lives with her older-but-annoying sister, Anjali, in two places – one with her mum in a nice little house and the other a flat with her dad.

Pia meets a boy called Hari in the communal garden. He is with his two dogs, an older basset hound called Raja and a boisterous puppy, Luna. Hari is upset because he has to train Luna to behave before his Nani comes to visit, or she will be given away. What ensues is plenty of chaos, giggles and new friendships.

This is a heartwarming read with such lovable, diverse characters. Emma McCann’s illustrations beautifully complement this fun story.

Lola and Larch Fix a Fairy Forest is an enchanting story, perfect for children who enjoy short chapter books with gentle adventures.

When Lola stumbles upon a mysterious rabbit in the middle of a storm, little does she know that it’s the beginning of an extraordinary adventure. With heartwarming moments, the story follows Lola and her new friend, Larch the tree fairy, as they embark on a quest to save the forest from the clutches of the evil fairy, Euphorbia Spurge, and her beetle army.

Filled with captivating illustrations, this book not only sparks the imagination but also teaches valuable lessons about friendship, bravery, and the importance of helping others. From the moment Lola discovers the tiny, grumpy fairy in place of the rabbit, readers are drawn into a magical world.

With its delightful characters and engaging plot, Lola and Larch Fix a Fairy Forest is sure to be a favourite among young readers who love adventure and fantasy. Join Lola and Larch on their journey as they navigate challenges, overcome obstacles, and ultimately, save the day. This book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys tales of courage, teamwork, and the magic of friendship.

This book was an absolute wintry delight. It begins with the main character ‘Bella’ joining her single mum (her dad died when she was younger which is briefly mentioned) on a exciting adventure to study penguins in Antarctica. It promotes women working in STEM in a setting that is not usually seen in children’s fiction stories. Whilst there, Bella spots an unusual penguin with a pale brown coat instead of the typical black which is integral to the story. What we thought was going to be an adventure about a girl and penguins turned out to have an historical twist with mystery and suspense! This surprise caused gasps and joy from the readers and added to the what was already a lovely story. Interwoven through the book are excellent illustrations which added to enjoyment. This was a brilliant bedtime read and would also be a good classroom story to share for Year 2. There were lots of discussions about vocabulary and meanings, for example, crevasse. From being familiar with Holly Webb’s stories, this felt like a favourite because there was something for everyone- adventure, mystery, suspense, Antarctica and of course, because it’s Holly Webb, ‘animals’. In the words of a 7 year old, after being read the story, ‘It was brilliant!’.

This is a book to read for pleasure from talented author-illustrator Chris Riddell!

Packed with humour and tongue-in-cheek plays on words, A Mermaid’s Diary will have children and adults laughing out loud. The mermaid, Atalanta Scrimshaw, is a breath of fresh air. Her world is exciting with its friendly creatures, and her best friend, Creech, is brilliantly entertaining! I loved Creech’s explanations of the human world! When faced with the destruction of their favourite beaches, the friends must work together to save their world.

The book is written to mimic a young girl’s thoughts in her diary. The illustrations are in Chris Riddell‘s signature style. A great read that is engaging, entertaining and very enjoyable.