Format: Short story collection

The First Works of Shakespeare

Short story collection

A very first introduction to the great works of William Shakespeare, one of the greatest storytellers of all time.

The First Works of Shakespeare is the first in the charming Little Literary Greats bio series for babies and young readers. This stylish, cased board book provides a very first introduction to the timeless stories of William Shakespeare.

Meet the Bard at work and discover six of his most famous plays, from Romeo and Juliet to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, brought to life in their simplest form. Short, child-friendly story descriptions, eye-catching illustrations of scenes and props, and some first words from the world of Shakespeare will inspire and entertain young wordsmiths and little storytellers.

Oscar Wilde’s Stories for Children

Lauren O’Hara & Oscar Wilde

Short story collection

Introduce a new generation to Oscar Wilde’s classic children’s tales with this stunningly illustrated luxury gift edition – a must-have gift book for young readers.

Oscar Wilde has enchanted readers young and old alike for over a hundred years. In 1888, he published a collection of bedtime stories for children. This beautiful collection contains six of these classic tales, including ‘The Happy Prince’, ‘The Selfish Giant’, and ‘The Nightingale and the Rose’.

For the first time, these beloved stories from the great Irish queer author are being published in a major new edition by an Irish publisher. With high-quality paper, a linen-effect cover, gold foil details, ribbon bookmark and classic binding touches, this keepsake hardback edition, printed and bound in Italy, is crafted to be treasured and shared.

Feeling both classic and fresh, timeless and modern, Lauren O’Hara’s delicate, rich colour illustrations bring this cornerstone of children’s literature to life for readers of all ages.

Nature Heroes

Jackie Lay & Lily Dyu

Non-fiction, Short story collection

An inspirational collection of short stories celebrating twenty pioneers working with nature to save our world. The perfect gift for any aspiring nature activist.

The natural world is a rich web of animals, plants and other organisms. But this delicate balance is at risk – facing challenges such as climate change, pollution and destruction caused by humans.

While the threat of the biodiversity crisis may feel impossible to overcome, individuals from all over the world have dared to fight for nature, and their astonishing stories prove that change really is possible!

From cleaning-up the mighty Mississippi, to farming coral, to inventing plastic alternatives made from seaweed, it only takes one person to stand up for their beliefs and inspire others to join them. And when we stand together, we can start to change the world.

Good Bits

Kes Gray & Ruby Wright

Short story collection

Good Bits by Kes Gray is a wonderful collection of short stories and unique by doing exactly what the title promises: skipping straight to the ‘good bit’!

With each story, readers are plunged directly into the heart of a narrative from the very first sentence and are pulled along at a fast pace before suddenly being faced with an unexpected twist only pages later. It is a brilliant, fast-paced formula that consistently leaves you wondering what might happen next.

This book is perfect for reluctant readers, who crave instant excitement and like stories to get straight to the action, as well as creative children who love letting their imaginations run wild. Showcasing a range of genres – spanning from laugh-out-loud comedy to spellbinding fantasy and high-stakes science fiction – there is a tale here for every type of reader. The writing is creative, utilising rich figurative language that paints incredibly vivid mental pictures for the reader, and each story is complemented by illustrations that further help to bring the text to life.

Good Bits is a must-have addition to children’s bookshelves.

Make Good Trouble

Ashley Lukashevsky & Devon Blow & Jamia Wilson

Non-fiction, Short story collection

Read real stories about moments that changed history, and find out what you can do to make a difference!

“Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”
– John Lewis, Twitter 2018

Inspired by civil rights activist and congressman John Lewis’s call to challenge injustice, explore famous moments of global activism throughout history with more than 70 narrative stories.

Featured stories include the Newsboys’ strike of 1899, the Freedom Summer Project of 1964, Greta Thunberg’s first School Strike for Climate, and students against book banning.

A must-have, illustrated narrative non-fiction guide through stories of exemplary activism:

Topics for every interest: Stories cover protests about climate change, racism, feminism, LGBTQIA+ pride, disability, and more from around the world.
Beautifully told stories and useful resources: Alongside the moving narrative retellings of historical moments, kids can find information about how they can be activists in a safe way, alongside a glossary and key dates for annual activism moments from across the globe.
Written by Jamia Wilson: The acclaimed author of Shining Bright, Shining Black, Big Ideas for Young Thinkers and Young, Gifted and Black.

Each true story in Make Good Trouble shares how activists across a variety of beliefs, ages, and backgrounds called for change, empowering young readers of all ages, abilities, and circumstances to make a difference. Brimming with illustrations and additional resources, including a timeline and information about how kids can get involved, this is essential reading for budding activists.

Owning It: Our Disabled Childhoods in Our Own Words

Sophie Kamlish & Various Authors

Non-fiction, Short story collection

COME ON A JOURNEY THROUGH CHILDHOOD with this anthology of twenty-two autobiographical stories from the very best writers in the disabled community.

From birthday parties, to navigating the sports field, to being given random free stuff, to juggling hospital visits alongside social lives . . .

These twenty-two true stories capture the highs and lows, the tears and laughter, the friendships and fallouts of growing up with a disability.

Whether you’re disabled yourself, or know someone who is, or want to better understand the experience, this book is a window into the young lives of these disabled writers: their stories, in their own words.

Edited by James Catchpole, Lucy Catchpole and Jen Campbell. With contributions from Ali Abbas, Polly Atkin, Imani Barbarin, Jen Campbell, James Catchpole, Christa Couture, Carly Findlay, M. Leona Godin, Eugene Grant, Jan Grue, Matilda Feyisayo Ibini, Ilya Kaminsky, Sora J. Kasuga, Jessica Kellgren-Fozard, Elle McNicoll, Daniel Sluman, Nina Tame, Rebekah Taussig, Steven Verdile, Alex Wegman, Ashley Harris Whaley and Kendra Winchester. Illustrated by Sophie Kamlish.

Wild Journey

A. M. Dassu & Joe Lillington

Short story collection

This is a wonderful collection of stories set in five different countries. Perfect for a rainy autumn day, dip in and be transported far, far away.

To sum it up in five words – epic, stunning, adventure, courage and resilience.

Comic Strip Myths: Myths, Gods and Gladiators in Ancient Rome

Laurie Avon & Stephen Davies

Graphic novel, Short story collection

Myths, Gods and Gladiators in Ancient Rome is part of the Comic Strip Myths series, focusing on the myths of Ancient Rome intertwined with information and facts describing the era.

The book begins with an introduction to Ancient Rome and the Roman Myths, before retelling the Creation Story in a comic strip style. The rest of the book follows a similar pattern: information pages on subjects such as the gods, Roman emperors, the Roman army, religion, inventions and gladiators, followed by cartoon strip myths linked to the information: Dido and Aeneas; Romulus and Remus; Horatius at the Bridge and so on.

Some of the myths selected the children will not have encountered before, others likely through their Greek versions, which provides an interesting discussion opportunity.

The comic strips themselves are engaging and fun. Dido and Aeneas, for example, is told in rhyme. Whilst many of the stories cover quite dark elements, their portrayal is often fun or silly. The information pages are a visual treat, with boxes of information and larger cartoons depicting the key details.

Overall, Comic Strip Myths: Myths, Gods and Gladiators in Ancient Rome is an excellent introduction to Roman mythology and history. It successfully combines education and entertainment, making it a great choice for young readers interested in myths, comics or the ancient world.

My Book of Classic Nursery Tales

James Mayhew

Short story collection

What is your favourite children’s story? Goldilocks and the Three Bears? The Enormous Turnip? These age-old tales still hold incredible charm and memorable story lines – with many variations. Did your gingerbread man survive or not? Did your tortoise and hare become friends at the end? What happened to your big bad wolf? Nursery tales, handed down from storyteller to storyteller, have countless variations. This new collection contains eight well-known traditional tales retold by James Mayhew with spell-binding storylines and vivid descriptions, each beautifully illustrated with thoughtful, modern and quirky artwork by the author. My favourite part of this book is the double-page spread at the back of the book, giving a potted history of each of the tales. Who knew that the earliest version of The Three Little Pigs was actually about three little pixies? And would you have guessed that The Tortoise and the Hare dates from more than two thousand years ago? Some of these tales you will remember, some you may not know, but all of them are special and worth sharing with the youngest generation.