Frida the Rock-and-Roll Moth Kim Hillyard Ladybird Books Frida is a moth: with her prowess at playing loud music on her purple guitar and her pointy boots she exudes funkiness. Despite constant encouragement from Auntie Edna, her number one fan, there comes a day when Frida feels anything but shiny. She even begins to think of giving up playing her purple guitar, then suddenly there appears a big bright light and she sees a host of rock-and-roll moths that are dancing, singing and rocking. Eager to join them, Frida begins to approach them but as she gets closer, she starts to feel smaller. T ..read more

Bad United: Just For Kicks Louise Forshaw Little Tiger Delivered in graphic novel form, this must surely be soccer at its silliest. It’s also great fun. Meet Hoof the unicorn who desperately wants to be part of a team, but his previous club, unable to appreciate his talents, has just kicked him out. Wither next he wonders, and then he spots a notice for BAD UNITED. Off he trots in the hope of being given an opportunity to show his prowess to mermaid manager cum coach, Serena Winmer and become part of the squad. Having been accepted, it’s time to meet his new teammates: captain Bones, a skelet ..read more

Big Gorilla Anthony Browne Walker Books Rarely I think, has so much artistry gone into a book of opposites as this one. From the cover, onto the title page and throughout the other spreads are show stopping portraits of primates. ‘What’s the opposite of old? asks the first sentence; turn over and there is the one word answer, ‘Young’ opposite which is a very small, pinkish coloured, thumb sucking infant gorilla. Sad, followed by happy are illustrated on the next two spreads, happy being portrayed by a blissful looking chimp holding a single flower. Then come heavy and its opposite, light, alo ..read more

Monti and Leo: A Newcomer in Pocketville Sylvie Kantorovitz Walker Books Pocketville as its sign says is, ‘a quiet little town’ and that’s just the way the animals living there want it. Like the others, Monti Mole dislikes change; he sticks to a daily routine but then one day, he discovers a stranger, Leo Lizard, sitting on his favourite rock. At a loss to know what to do, the mole goes home and has a sleepless night. Next morning there’s Leo again sitting on Monti’s rock, but this time the lizard’s genial greeting and ensuing kindness disarms the mole and a friendship starts to blossom. At t ..read more

Earnest Sandpiper’s Great Ascent Timothy Basil Ering Walker Books In this deeply heartfelt story we meet three young members of the Sandpiper family on the day they are, so their parents expect, going to learn to fly for the first time. Spur and Rouse are full of confidence; not so Earnest. Under their parents’ tutelage: “BREATHE… TRY… JUMP… FLY!” Earnest’s siblings take to the air; Earnest however baulks at the edge of the dune. “I think my feathers are too heavy for me,” he tells his mother as he looks for a second time over the edge. Using her wing tip, Mum draws a heart shape in the sand ..read more

Explodapedia: Rewild Ben Martynoga, ill. Moose Allain David Fickling Books The latest topic biologist and neuroscientist Ben Martynoga turns his attention to in this cracking non-fiction series is that of rewilding. In the glossary, the author defines rewilding thus: ‘giving ecosystems the help and space they need to grow more biodiverse, resilient and able to look after themselves, and us too.’  There’s no doubt our planet is in a diversity crisis but, taking a positive stance, in his witty style, the author accentuates hope for the possibilities that rewilding offers. Presenting such t ..read more

The Spaceman Randy Cecil Walker Books When the diminutive spaceman steps out of his spaceship on a mission to collect soil samples, his first impression is that the planet he’s landed on is pretty ordinary. That quickly proves otherwise however when he catches sight of a large red bloom. WOW! While he gazes at it, his spacecraft is stolen by a ‘thief that sprouted wings from its feathery sides’ (a bird). He gives chase but to no avail: he’s stranded alone and frightened on planet Earth, especially when he finds himself face to face with ‘a hideous beast’ as he stops to admire the next wonderf ..read more

Ivy Newt and the Storm Witch Ivy Newt and the Time Thief Derek Keilty, illustrated by Magda Brol Scallywag Press These enchanting stories are set in the world of Miracula and in the Storm Witch, the first, Ivy Newt, daughter of the King and Queen of the Sand Witches is celebrating her birthday. However, due to inclement weather her friends are unable to come to her party and share the culinary treats such as scream cheese, lemon and slime cake with marsh maggots. No matter, her parents have prepared an extra special surprise for Ivy – a disappearing act; the trouble is that they really do van ..read more

I Really, Really Don’t Like Parties Angie Morgan Otter-Barry Books When Dora discovers an envelope containing an invitation to Rashid’s birthday party at the bottom of her book bag, her heart sinks: she does not like parties at all. Mum insists it will be fun but Dora is creative thinking up all kinds of reasons why she can’t possibly go, even if her friends will all be there. Mum is having no nonsense though and packs her off to the party. Dora is right about it being a very noisy affair but does her best to participate in some of the games. Then comes the teatime announcement. Dora dives u ..read more

Lenny Lemmon and the Alien Invasion Ben Davis, illustrated by James Lancett Nosy Crow This is the third in the laugh-out-loud series starring Lenny whose daft doings delight younger solo readers. As this book begins, Lenny is complaining of boredom: it’s the school holidays and his two best mates, Sam and Jess are, so he believes, both away enjoying life in distant parts. His Dad meanwhile is busy inventing crazy contraptions that are doomed to fail. Lenny is sent to return something to his Grandma’s ice-cream shop but unexpectedly, he finds that she’s not her usual cheerful self when he arri ..read more