It's not long left until school's out for summer!
And much as we are all looking forward to lots of time for play and outdoor fun, most of us are also trying to keep our kids reading up for the weeks over summer, and as we all know, that becomes a lot easier when they are getting to read something they actually find funny and interesting.
To help us all out, here are five brand new kids' books we cannot wait to get stuck into with the kids this summer – staycation reading, here we come!
1. Worst Holiday Ever
By Charlie Higson
Stan is going on holiday to Italy with his (fifth) best friend Felix and a load of strangers –he is absolutely terrified. Luckily, his mum's given him an emergency list that includes how to survive a shark attack, and what to do if he gets kidnapped
. Stan thinks that a better list would include how to cope with odd food, and what to do if he accidentally calls Felix's mum 'mum' in front of everybody.
And it soon turns out Italy is full of dangers and things that can go wrong. One thing's for certain, Stan's not going to come back the same boy he left. He just hopes he comes back at all . . .
Worst. Holiday. Ever is a story about facing fears, dealing with worries, and how it's OK to be anxious, scared, and sometimes a little bit brave.
2. Aldrin Adams and the Cheese Nightmares
By Paul Howard
Aldrin Addis has the world's most unusual and secret SUPER-POWER: By eating very stinky cheese before bedtime, Aldrin can enter people's dreams and nightmares, and help them with their problems. The trouble is, Aldrin has problems of his own. Dad's not been himself since Mum died, their cheese shop (C'est Cheese!) is under threat of closure, and Aldrin's struggling at school. But things go from bad to worse when Aldrin realises something - or someone - is trying to steal his cheesy superpower for their own evil plan for world domination! And this time, Aldrin might need more than the stinkiest of Bries to save the day!
3. The Hatmakers
By Tamzin Merchant
Cordelia comes from a long line of magical milliners, who weave alchemy and enchantment into every hat. In Cordelia’s world, Making – crafting items such as hats, cloaks, watches, boots and gloves from magical ingredients – is a rare and ancient skill, and only a few special Maker families remain.
When Cordelia’s father Prospero and his ship, the
Jolly Bonnet, are lost at sea during a mission to collect hat ingredients, Cordelia is determined to find him. But Uncle Tiberius and Aunt Ariadne have no time to help the littlest Hatmaker, for an ancient rivalry between the Maker families is threatening to surface. Worse, someone seems to be using Maker magic to start a war.
It’s up to Cordelia to find out who, and why . . .
4. Weirdo
By Zadie Smith and Nick Laird
Meet Maud: a guinea pig who inexplicably wears a judo suit - and not everyone understands or approves. When Maud is thrown into a new and confusing situation, it takes brave decisions and serendipitous encounters for her to find her place and embrace her individuality.
The charming characters of Magenta Fox, whose work is evocative of Raymond Briggs and Janet Ahlberg, perfectly offset Zadie and Nick's warm, wry prose.
Weirdo is an endearing story about the quiet power of being different by two veteran writers, and introduces an exciting debut illustrator. Together they have created a picture book that adults and children alike will treasure.
Rex's parents have split up and, to make matters worse, he has to spend his summer holiday on a remote and rainy Irish island - with only unruly sheep for company.
The only upside: he'll be staying with his strange and brilliant Uncle Derm.
Then Rex discovers Uncle Derm is about to execute his most hair-brained plan yet . . . To rob the island's travelling bank!
Like the local legend of medieval Pirate Queen Grace O'Malley, Uncle Derm plans to redistribute the money to local needy causes on the island. And he needs Rex's help . . .
