Our Macaw subscribers are heading off on an epic sci-fi adventure this month with Black Hole Cinema Club, the gripping new book by Christopher Edge, in which Lucas and his friends find themselves swept up in a jet-black tidal wave that comes crashing out of the cinema screen at the Black Hole Cinema Club. Leaping from one epic movie to the next, Lucas must unravel the mystery of what's really going on and find a way to save himself and his friends. It's an all-action, wildly imaginative adventure - the Parrot Street crew had a sneak peek and LOVED it! Here Christopher tells us what ..read more

Our Cockatoo subscribers are heading to Australia this month with Countdown to Yesterday, a moving novel about the ups and downs of navigating a family breakdown and new friendships. It's such an intriguing and ultimately hopeful story, packed with empathy and just a hint of magic. The characters (both child and adult) feel really authentic and are hugely relatable. We loved this book and hope our subscribers will too! Here author Shirley Marr tells us about being inspired by her own family's experience of divorce and which books about family and friendship she recommends you read next ..read more

We are delighted this month to be sharing a quirky, witty illustrated tale with our Parakeet subscribers, a book that has been translated from Swedish and published by one of our favourite independent children's publishers, Gecko Press. The Pinchers and the Diamond Heist is both thought-provoking and laugh-out-loud funny, with a brilliant cast of quirky characters. Here author Anders Sparring tells us about the translation process and which Swedish books in translation he recommends you read next. What inspired you to writeThe Pinchers and the Diamond Heist? The inspiration for the Pinch ..read more

This month our Parakeet subscribers are heading off on the trip of a lifetime with the Woggle Scouts! Croaky: Search for the Sasquatch is a fun, full-colour illustrated adventure for younger readers aged 5+. Croaky is an all-action adventurer, but he might just have bitten off more than he can chew when he heads off on a sasquatch hunt with his new Woggle Scout friends. We predict that newly independent readers will love this accessible new series by author-illustrator Matty Long, creator of the Super Happy Magic Forest series. Here Matty tells us all about what inspired C ..read more

Our Macaw subscribers are heading to Japan this month with Catfish Rolling by Clara Kumagai, a magical, compelling and thought-provoking novel with a stunning setting, a hugely relatable lead character and a powerful message about identity, memory and the passing of time. We were gripped by Sora's coming-of-age story, the mystery she finds herself at the centre of, and the brilliant blend of philosophy, science and storytelling. Here Clara tells us all about what inspired the book and which other stories set in Japan she recommends our tween and teen readers turn to next. What inspired you to ..read more

A chilling mystery, family drama, Norse mythology and an intriguing cast of characters come together in the second book we've shared with our Macaw subscribers this month, Postcards From Valhalla by Danny Weston. With a stunning Shetland setting and a hint of magical realism, this book had us gripped from the very beginning. We're delighted that Danny was able to answer our questions about what inspired the book and which novels for teens inspired by mythology he recommends you read next. What inspired you to write Postcards From Valhalla? It began with the intention of writing something insp ..read more

Our Cockatoo subscribers are heading off on a magical international adventure this month with the wonderful Aliya to the Infinite City by Laila Rifaat. With a brave and relatable heroine, a stunning Egyptian setting, history, mystery and adventure, this book has it all! It's the first in a trilogy and we can't wait to see where the story goes next. And we're thrilled that Laila was able to answer our questions and tell us more about what inspired the book and her favourite fantasy books for kids. What inspired you to write Aliya to the Infinite City?  This trilogy began with a ..read more

    On 8th March 2024 we will be celebrating International Women's Day. As part of the celebrations we've invited Rebecca Pedelty-Cox, Learning & Development Manager at our charity partner Coram Beanstalk, to share her favourite recommendations for books featuring fearless females. There are so many Parrot Street favourites on this list - we hope you enjoy them as much as we do!   Children need to be able to see themselves and their lives in the books they read to feel connected. And it’s equally important for them to read books that widen their understa ..read more

The second book we've shared with our Macaw subscribers this month is This Tale is Forbidden by Polly Crosby, a dark fairy tale-inspired fantasy with a thrilling dystopian storyline and an intriguing back story. We fell in love with lead character Nesta, who we think young readers will find immediately relatable. Like this month's other book, On Silver Tides, this has such a classic feel but plenty of contemporary relevance and no doubt will spark some fascinating debates! Here Polly tells us more about what inspired the book and her favourite fantasy books for teenagers. What inspired you to ..read more

Our Cockatoo subscribers are in for such a treat this month with Diamond Jack: Your Magic or Your Life by Anna Rainbow. It's a thrilling, magical adventure with a classic feel and loads of contemporary relevance. We love the brilliant cast of characters (villains and heroes, human and animal!) and there's a great twist that kept us on our toes. Here Anna tells us about being inspired by her young son, researching turnspit dogs, and her favourite adventure books for kids. What inspired you to write Diamond Jack: Your Magic or Your Life? A few years back, my son was obsessed with High ..read more