Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Best Children's Book Picks October 2023

 

Here is our post introducing the enchanting world of children's literature for October 2023! Let's embark on a delightful journey through my favorite book picks, where imagination knows no bounds and adventures await at every turn of the page. From whimsical tales of magic and friendship to heartwarming stories that teach valuable lessons. 

Alex Bell (Author), Beatriz Castro (Illustrator) - The Train of Dark Wonders - Published by Rock the Boat (5 Oct. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0861545964 - Paperback - Age: 8+

Bess has always loved her grandfather’s collection of curiosities. So she’s delighted when she’s handed the keys to his Odditorium. But unless she finds a way to draw in the crowds, she’ll have to close its doors for good.

When a mysterious train pulls into town, bound for The Land of Halloween Sweets, Bess hatches a plan and sneaks onboard. She is soon discovered by Beau the puppeteer, Louis the violinist and Maria the fire witch. Eager to join their adventure, Bess sets out to search for the rarest sweet of all – the ghostly gobstopper.    But the land is ruled by the fearsome Candymaker. And beneath the sugary surface, things are more dangerous than they first appear...

Guy Bass (Author), Alessia Trunfio (Illustrated) - SCRAP|:1 - Published by Little Tiger (12 Oct. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1788955973 - Paperback - Age: 7+ 

The year was Something Something. Humans had spread like peanut butter across the galaxy, looking for new planets to call Somewhere.
One of those planets was Somewhere Five One Three.

When the humans arrive on Somewhere 513, they discover that the robots sent to prepare the planet for Humanity’s arrival have chosen to keep it for themselves. Only one robot remains loyal – K1-NG, aka King of the Robots. But even with the most powerful robot on their side, the outlawed humans don’t stand a chance.

Ten years on, Gnat and her sister Paige are the only humans left and have spent their lives hidden underground. Now they must venture out in search of the one robot that stood by the humans. There’s just one problem – the once mighty K1-NG has vowed never to help another human for as long as he lives…

Anna Kemp (Author), David Wyatt (Illustrator) - The Hollow Hills (Vol 2) - Published by Simon & Schuster Children's UK (26 Oct. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1398503892 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

Nobody knows what lies inside the Knoll nor what form the Fae have taken after all these years . . . join a quest of a lifetime to rescue Goblyn Wood from the fae, with a sequel to Into Goblyn Wood for fans of Nevermoor and Podkin One-Ear! Are you ready to enter Goblyn Wood . . . ?

When Hazel ventured into Goblyn Wood, she discovered that she was part fairy and the Fae have been hoarding magic. Now, on a mission to help the other fairies and rescue her friend Pete, she needs to travel to the Fae Dominion. No one has been inside for years but Hazel arrives there, it’s a glorious paradise and Pete is happy. Hazel is sure that something is wrong but soon begins to forget about her mission. And in the world outside, the threat to Goblyn Wood is increasing…

Can Hazel complete her mission and help bring balance back to Goblyn Wood?

Loretta Schauer - The Legend of Ghastly Jack Crowheart - Published by Andersen Press (5 Oct. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1839133091 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

For Lil, life at the Squawking Mackerel Inn couldn’t be more miserable. She's tasked with the sloppiest, grottiest jobs and picked on at every turn. Her only friend is Augustus Scratchy, a cantankerous crow with a habit of stealing. When the dread villain Rotten Bob Hatchet and his gang of cut-throat highwaymen begin attacking travellers on the road, things get really dire.

Joining forces with a new servant boy, Ned, and armed with the contents of the inn’s lost property cupboard, a pocket full of revolting dumplings and some knicker elastic, Lil comes up with a plot to scare off Rotten Bob. And so the legend of Ghastly Jack Crowheart the Demon Highwayman is born!

Dangerous highwaymen, furious crows, ludicrous underwear, and a turnip apocalypse - stand and deliver!

The Best Children's Book Picks SEPTEMBER 2023 - US Post - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

Introducing our delightful children's book picks for September 2023! This month, we have a collection of fantastic tales that will spark imagination and captivate readers. From whimsical adventures to heartwarming stories, these books are sure to bring joy to children of all ages. Let the magic unfold as we embark on a journey through the pages of these wonderful stories!

Coco Ma - Nightbreaker - Published by Viking Books for Young Readers (19 Sept. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593621462 - Hardback - Age: 14+ 

Fifteen years ago, The Vanishing thrust Manhattan into darkness, forever changing the City That Never Sleeps. By day, resilient New Yorkers have adapted, clinging to the vestiges of their cosmopolitan lives. By night―well, you never go out at night unless you have a death wish. Or unless you're Rei Reynolds. Rei attends an exclusive New York prep school, but unlike her classmates, she welcomes nightfall. That's when she can secretly hunt Deathlings, the deadly creatures that have prowled Manhattan's subway tunnels and blood-soaked streets since the Vanishing. After they brutally slaughtered her parents years ago, Rei is desperate for vengeance. To get it, Rei must qualify for―and win―the Tournament, a competition to join the ranks of the city’s legendary Deathling hunters. Rei’s nightly pursuits should give her an advantage, but the other competitors are fierce, and in some cases familiar: enter Kieran Cross, Rei’s most infuriating rival . . . and ex-boyfriend. As the Tournament progresses―and the cutthroat competition escalates―everything Rei believed about who she can trust is called into question. Soon enough, she’s caught in the crosshairs of the elite who want to keep the city's ruling class in power, as well as those who will stop at nothing to bring it down. Because sometimes it's not the monsters waiting in the dark you should fear . . . it's the ones who dare to walk into the light. Coco Ma's exhilarating urban fantasy thrusts readers into an immersive world of thrills and chills, featuring the smart, sardonic post-apocalyptic heroine you’ll soon wish you could be.

Janelle McCurdy - The Traitor of Nubis: 2 (Umbra Tales) - Published by Aladdin (19 Sept. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1665901307 - Hardback - Age: 7+

Mia grapples with the responsibility of her new powers and uncovers even more of Nubis's secrets in this thrilling second book in the Umbra Tales middle-grade series that's Keeper of the Lost Cities meets The Golden Compass.

The Reaper King's attempt to break free and thrust the rest of the Kingdom of Lunis into darkness has been thwarted, but all is still not well in Nubis, Mia's moonlit kingdom home. The whole city is on guard for another attempt to resurrect the Reaper King. Though imprisoned, his followers, the Elite, are still inside the city, and tensions among the population are at an all-time high. 

Meanwhile, Mia struggles to cope with her new Lightcaster powers and to fit in with the rest of the tamers, many of whom are skeptical of her abilities. But it's the appearance of old friends and new maybe-enemies that will truly put Mia's abilities--and the loyalties of everyone she trusts--to the test.

Karl Hiaasen- ‎ Wrecker - Knopf Books for Young Readers (September 26, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593376287 - Hardback - Age: 9+

Wrecker needs to deal with smugglers, grave robbers, and pooping iguanas—just as soon as he finishes Zoom school. Welcome to another wild adventure in Carl Hiaasen's Florida!

Valdez Jones VIII calls himself Wrecker because his great-great-great-great-great-grandfather salvaged shipwrecks for a living. 

So is it destiny, irony, or just bad luck when Wrecker comes across a speedboat that has run hard aground on a sand flat? The men in the boat don't want Wrecker to call for help—in fact, they'll pay him to forget he ever saw them. 

Wrecker would be happy to forget, but he keeps seeing these men all over Key West—at the marina, in the cemetery, even right outside his own door. And now they want more than his silence—they want a lookout.

He'll have to dive deep into their shady dealings to figure out a way to escape this tangled net. . . .

Lindsay Currie - It Fund Us -  Sourcebooks Young Readers (September 5, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1728259499 - Hardback - Age: 7+

From the author of Scritch Scratch and The Girl in White comes a new spooky mystery about a girl detective who must decode a series of ominous clues tied to a century-old tragedy to find a missing teenager before it's too late…

Twelve-year-old Hazel Woods has always had an unusual knack for sleuthing. Some may call it snooping, but all she really wants is to solve mysteries around town. So, when she not-so-accidentally overhears her brother Den planning to sneak into the cemetery at night for an epic game of hide-and-seek, she decides to secretly tag along. This seems like the perfect opportunity to investigate the claims that the cemetery is haunted.

But the moment the game ends, Hazel realizes something is very, very wrong. From her hiding spot in the bushes, she overhears that her brother's best friend, Everett, is missing. Everyone else was found by the seeker but there's no sign of Everett anywhere. It's as if he just . . . vanished

Hazel and Den are determined to find Everett before it's too late. But as they begin to unravel the terrifying clues that started appearing since that night in the graveyard–eerie whispers that sound like someone counting, the intermittent smell of smoke, and the cold, lost presence that follows them everywhere, she's not sure what they are dealing with. But Everett needs more than search parties and scent-tracking dogs to find him, especially if his disappearance is tied to the history of the cemetery, and the lost, century-old spirits that might still be trapped there . . .

Ethan M. Aldridge -  Deephaven - Published by Quill Tree Books (September 5, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0063283169 - Hardback - Age: 7+ 

From Ethan M. Aldridge, bestselling creator of Estranged, comes a gothic middle-grade prose novel that follows a nonbinary student who is drawn to their boarding school’s forbidden east wing, where something stalks the shadowy corridors. Perfect for fans of J. A. White and Mary Downing Hahn!

When Guinevere "Nev" Tallow receives an acceptance letter to the exclusive Deephaven Academy, they know it’s the fresh start that they’ve been looking for.

But things are strange from the moment they arrive—the house itself seems to breathe, students whisper secrets in dark corridors, and the entire east wing of the academy is locked away for reasons no one wants to explain. And Nev knows something ragged stalks the shadowy corridors, something that sobs quietly and scratches at the walls, waiting to be released.

With the help of another first-year student, Nev takes it upon themself to unravel the mysteries hidden in Deephaven's halls. But will they risk their fresh start to bring the academy’s secret to light?

Nicola Davies (Author), Jackie Morris (Illustrator) - Skrimsli - Book Review - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

"Skirmsli" by Nicola Davies is a captivating and thought-provoking children's book that takes readers on an immersive journey into the natural world and beyond. It is due to be published, this September 14th, as a gloriously illustrated hardback format by Welsh indie children's publisher, Firefly Press. The book cover and pictures are illustrated by the talented Jackie Morris - they are absolutely breathtaking. The book cover is definitely a personal favourite of mine this year, so far! 

Set against a backdrop of breathtaking landscapes and rich biodiversity, this vivid story explores themes of friendship, courage, and the importance of protecting the environment which, as we know, is very topical at the moment. The narrative starts slowly as we follow the adventures of Skirmsli (a tiger cub) as he embarks on a quest to save his family and their precious habitat from impending danger. Through Skirmsli's eyes, readers are introduced to a wonderful diverse cast of characters, both animal and human, in a world where animals and humans can sometimes share their thoughts. The author skillfully weaves a narrative that seamlessly combines drama, humour, and really heartfelt realistic moments, making it a powerful must-read for children and adults of all ages.

"One of the book's greatest strengths is its ability to educate while entertaining" 

Skirmsli by Nicola Davies is a moving and good follow-up to The Song that Sings Us. It's a cleverly written educational children's book that effortlessly combines adventure, environmental themes, and engaging characters. It serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving our natural world as it encourages young readers to embrace curiosity and empathy. With its vivid illustrations and inspiring narrative, Skirmsli is a valuable addition to any reading list. It will certainly spark a love for nature exploration and the wonders the world holds. The story is a journey for the bold and the brave so purchase a copy and enjoy the adventure. BUY TODAY!

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Best Children's Book Picks September 2023

Nicola Davies (Author), Jackie Morris (Illustrator) - Skrimsli - Published by Firefly Press (14 Sept. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1913102807 - Hardback 

“ Immersive, breathtaking visionary and an illustrated delight ” – Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Who are you if you’ve never seen another face like yours? Where do you belong if you don’t know where your home is? What do you call yourself when others call you ‘freak'...? Skrimsli is a second fantasy adventure from author Nicola Davies, set in a world where animals and humans can sometimes share their thoughts. It traces the early life of Skrimsli, the tiger sea captain who stole readers’ hearts in The Song that Sings Us. He and his friends, Owl and Kal, must first escape the clutches of tyrannical circus owner Kobret Majak and his twin assassin-acrobats, then stop a war and save an ancient forest! Skrimsli and his friends are helped by desert princess the Palatine and her eagle, a chihuahua who thinks she’s a wolf, a horse with heart of gold and the crew of a very unusual ship. This is a story full of excitement and danger, that explores themes of friendship, loyalty, identity and love, in the context of some of humanity’s toughest problems.

Sarah Todd Taylor - Alice Éclair, Spy Extraordinaire!: A Sprinkling of Danger - Published by Nosy Crow Ltd (14 Sept. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1839948855 - Paperback 

Alice Éclair, Spy Extraordinaire will whisk you away on a fabulous adventure, full of daring action and delicious cakes!

Baker by day, spy by night - Alice Éclair leads an exciting double life!

On a glamorous movie set at the Palace of Versailles, someone is leaking national secrets. Is it the American director with the shady past, or the flamboyant lead actress whose Renaissance wig is full of secrets? Or is it someone so devious, Alice hasn't even noticed them? Whoever it is, this person has a deadly plan...
Armed with a light sponge mix and an airy disregard for danger, Alice Éclair is on the case! And she'll need to use every trick in her recipe book to survive this mission...
A Sprinkling of Danger is Alice's third adventure and can be read as a stand-alone novel, or enjoyed as part of the Alice Éclair, Spy Extraordinaire series. Look out for Alice's other missions, A Recipe for Trouble and A Spoonful of Spying!

Hannah Gold (Author), Levi Pinfold (Illustrator) - Finding Bear - Published by HarperCollins Children’s Books (28 Sept. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0008582012 - Hardback 

The unmissable follow-up to the phenomenal bestselling and award-winning The Last Bear. Beautifully illustrated by Levi Pinfold and perfect for readers 8+

April Wood has returned home from her adventure on Bear Island. But, over a year later, she can’t stop thinking about Bear.

When April hears that a polar bear has been shot and injured in Svalbard, she’s convinced it’s her friend and persuades her dad to travel with her to the northernmost reaches of the Arctic. So begins an unforgettable journey across frozen tundra and icy glaciers.

But along the way, she discovers much more than she bargained for – a tiny polar bear cub, desperately in need of her help. In freezing temperatures, April must navigate the dangerous Arctic terrain and face her deepest fears if she’s to save him.

Beautifully illustrated by Levi Pinfold, Finding Bear is a stunning story of survival and a heartwarming tale of love that shows us how hope is born from the smallest of beginnings.

Claire Fayers - Tapper Watson and the Quest for the Nemo Machine -  Published by Firefly Press (7 Sept. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1915444158 - Paperback 

Tapper Watson is just an ordinary Erisean boy who loves adventure stories. But when one of his sixty-seven cousins sends him away on a smugglers’ submarine through the River Lethe to other worlds, he just wants to go home again. On an unscheduled visit to Earth he meets Fern Shakespeare, and a talking plant called Morse, and their adventures begin. And when he finds himself being chased through worlds by a pair of trigger-happy lobster mobsters in search of the mysterious Nemo Machine, Tapper begins to realise that he might not be so ordinary after all…

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Children's Best Book Picks August 2023

 

Alice Roberts (Author), Keith Robinson (Illustrator) - Wolf Road - Published by Simon & Schuster Children's UK (3 Aug. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1398521339 - Hardback - Age: 9+

Discover the history of our lifetime through one girl's adventure, in the epic new children's novel from bestselling author and broadcaster, Professor Alice Roberts.

Tuuli is a prehistoric girl, travelling with her tribe through the seasons – making camp, hunting for food and protecting themselves against the many hazards that the climate throws at them. Tuuli knows there’s a bigger world out there, and when she spots a strange boy lurking outside their camp, she realises that he might hold the adventure she is looking for.  

He is from another tribe, sent to find safer ground and as he and Tuuli strike up an unlikely friendship, they set out on a journey that will impact the rest of human history.  

A vast adventure with a very human heart, full of wild animals, huge scenery and heart-stopping danger and inspired by real anthropological discoveries. The stunning debut novel from Digging for Britain presenter, Professor Alice Roberts, for fans of His Dark Materials, Wolf Brother and The Last Bear.

Carrie Hope Fletcher (Author), Davide Ortu (Illustrator) - The Double Trouble Society - Published by Puffin (3 Aug. 2023) - Paperback - Age: 9+

What do you get if you mix together two best friends, a witch's curse and a haunted house? A spell-binding mystery for fans of The Worst Witch and The Danger Gang from acclaimed performer and bestselling author Carrie Hope Fletcher!

Ivy and Maggie have been best friends ever since they were born at exactly the same minute on Friday 13th - twelve years ago. They're always on the lookout for their next adventure, and, when strange and mysterious things start to happen in Crowood Peak, it's up to them to work out what's going on.

All the evidence points to the old house next door with purple smoke coming out of the chimney, and a new owner who looks suspiciously like a witch!

Can Ivy and Maggie solve the mystery of Hokum House, or will this adventure spell more mischief than even the Double Trouble Society can manage?

With gorgeous chapter illustrations from Davide Ortu, this is a witchy mystery you don't want to miss this Halloween!

Tania Unsworth -  Nowhere Island - Published by Zephyr (3 Aug. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1804540084 - Hardback - Age: 8+ 

Hidden at the intersection of several busy highways behind the trees and scrubby undergrowth is an island, full of secrets...

Pez has lived there for a while now, enjoying the solitude. She has a vegetable patch, a routine, her own way of doing things and a condor, who may be outstaying his welcome.

Runaway brothers, Riley and Grayson call the island home too. They keep their distance from Pez and spend precarious days trying to survive, still relying on the man-made world which speeds around them.

Then Gil arrives, with his hagstone and a dream of happy families, and everything changes. The four of them find a way of living and believe they might stay on the island forever. But all too soon they witness something they should never have seen and they're in deadly danger...

Tania Unsworth constantly raises the stakes to write about trust, friendship, resilience and what really makes a home in this original, tense and action-packed survival adventure.

Jenny McLachlan (Author), Chloe Dominique (Illustrator) - Dead God Detectives: Ghost Rescue - Published by Farshore (3 Aug. 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0755503353 - Paperback - Age: 7+

An epic and exciting adventure for readers 8+ by the author of the bestselling Land of Roarseries. Perfect for fans of BBC’s Ghosts!

Sid Jones has always known she is different,
but after accidentally freeing a 300-year-old
pirate ghost (using a gel pen and a chocolate bar),
Sid realises that she has actual MAGIC!

Sid starts to use her magic to free more ghosts,
who have all been trapped by the sinister innkeeper.
But then a mysterious sickness strikes the people
of Fathom. Can Sid and best friend Zen solve the
mystery, save the town and free the ghosts?

A truly epic conclusion to this dynamite duology from the 

bestselling author of the Land of Roar series. 

The Best Children's Book Picks JULY 2023 - US Post - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Rob Renzetti - The Horrible Bag of Terrible Things - Published by Penguin Workshop (July 18, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593519523 - Hardback - Age: 7+ 

From the creator of My Life As a Teenage Robot comes a middle-grade horror story about a horrible bag, the spine-chilling world hidden within it, and a terrifying adventure into the world of GrahBhag.

When Zenith finds a strange, unsettling bag at his front door, he's not sure where it came from or who sent it to him. He knows better than to expect his overprotective older sister Apogee to help him figure it out, because ever since she became a teenager, she's been acting more like a parent to him than a sibling. But he certainly did not expect for a horrifying spiderlike creature to emerge from the bag, kidnap Apogee, and drag her inside to the equally horrifying and unsettling world of GrahBhag. 

Zenith sets off into the bag to bring her back but soon finds a bizarre realm where malicious forests, a trio of blood-drinking mouths, and a sentient sawdust-stuffed giant are lurking within the seams. And from every corner of the world come whispers of the Great Wurm, an eldritch horror with a godlike hold over the creatures of GrahBhag, who seems to have a dark, insidious purpose for Apogee. With the help of a greedy, earwax-nibbling gargoyle, Zenith will have to save Apogee from the Great Wurm and help them both escape the horrible bag before it's too late. 

With a combination of dry, absurdist humor and no-holds-barred horror, Rob Renzetti has crafted a delightfully imaginative fantasy world that will hook readers as surely as it will send chills down their spines.

M. R. Fournet - Brick Dust and Bones - Published by Feiwel & Friends (July 18, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250876027 - Hardback - Age: 8+

A twelve-year-old cemetery boy and monster hunter–along with his flesh-eating mermaid friend–has to race against the clock to save the ghost of his dead mother in Brick Dust and Bones, M.R. Fournet's magical middle-grade debut. 

Marius Grey hunts Monsters. He's not supposed to. He's only twelve and his job as a Cemetery Boy is to look after the ghosts in his family's graveyard. He should be tending these ghosts and–of course–going to school to learn how to live between worlds without getting into trouble. 

But, Marius has an expensive goal. He wants to bring his mother back from the dead, and that takes a LOT of mystic coins, which means a LOT of Monster Hunting, and his mother’s window to return is closing.

If he wants her back, Marius is going to have to go after bigger and meaner monsters, decide if a certain flesh-eating mermaid is a friend or foe, and avoid meddling Demons and teachers along the way. Can Marius navigate New Orleans’s gritty monster bounty-hunting market, or will he have to say goodbye to his mother forever?

Jacqueline Davies - The International House of Dereliction - Published by Clarion Books (July 18, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0063258075 - Hardback - Age: 7+ 

In this not-so-scary ghost story from Jacqueline Davies, bestselling author of the Lemonade War series, quirky, tool-wielding Alice Cannoli-Potchnik begins to repair the dilapidated mansion next door—only to discover the old house is home to ghosts, and they need mending, too!

Home is where the heart is. But can a house have a heart of its own? 

Ten-year-old Alice is moving for the eleventh time.

She’s lived in so many houses, each more broken than the last, that home to Alice is nothing more than a place you fix and then a place you leave. After all, who needs a permanent home when you’re a whiz at fixing things?

But when Alice arrives at her new home, she can’t take her eyes off the house next door, the stately dark house that hulked in the dimming light. The once-grand mansion, now dilapidated and condemned, beckons Alice; it's the perfect new repair job!

As Alice begins to restore the House to its former splendor, she senses strange presences. Is there a heartbeat coming from the House’s walls? Is someone looking at her? Soon she realizes she’s not alone. Three ghosts have been watching, and they need Alice’s help to solve their unfinished business.

Will Alice be able to unravel the mysteries of the House and find her forever home . . . before it’s too late?

Summer Rachel Short - The Legend of Greyhallow - Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (July 18, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1665918879 - Hardback - Age: 9+ 

Disney’s Enchanted gets a Lord of the Rings twist in this fantastical middle-grade adventure about two siblings who must close the portal to a magical realm that inspired a popular movie franchise before their own world is conquered by emerging foes.

Twelve-year-old Ainsley Galloway and her ten-year-old brother, Tobin, have just moved to the small, picturesque mountain town of Lowry. The town is famously the setting for the blockbuster Legend of Greyhallow trilogy and there are traces of the films wherever they go. Ainsley’s parents even bought the film director’s former home, which they dream of turning into an inn that caters to fans eager to check out the local Greyhallow Movie Festival. 

But when Ainsley and Tobin are fooling around in the attic of their new home, Ainsley unleashes something. Something she doesn’t quite understand. And suddenly, purple mist is flooding the town, she’s receiving cryptic messages from strangers in medieval garb. Oddest of all, the enigmatic director of the Greyhallow movies, who’s been missing for years, has a message for them.

Ainsley and Tobin have opened a passage between the very real magical world of the movies and their own. In a swirl of shifting loyalties, capricious creatures, and movie trivia, Ainsley and Tobin have to figure out what to do—and who to trust—in order to save them all.

Waka T. Brown - The Very Unfortunate Wish of Melony Yoshimura -  Published by Quill Tree Books (July 18, 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0063230767- Hardback - Age: 8+

In this magical and chilling Coraline-esque retelling of the Japanese folktale “The Melon Princess and the Amanjaku," one girl must save herself—and her loved ones—from a deceitful demon she befriended.

Melony Yoshimura’s parents have always been overprotective. They say it’s because a demonic spirit called the Amanjaku once preyed upon kids back in Japan, but Melony suspects it’s just a cautionary tale to keep her in line. So on her twelfth birthday, Melony takes a chance and wishes for the freedom and adventure her parents seem determined to keep her from.

As if conjured by her wish, the Amanjaku appears. At first, Melony is wary. If this creature is real, are the stories about its destructive ways also real? In no time, however, the Amanjaku woos Melony with its ability to shape-shift, grant wishes, and understand her desire for independence. But what Melony doesn’t realize is that the Amanjaku’s friendship has sinister consequences, and she quickly finds every aspect of her life controlled by the demon’s trickery—including herself.

Melony is determined to set things right, but will she be able to before the Amanjaku turns her life, her family, and her community upside down?

Claire Fayers - Tapper Watson and the Quest for the Nemo Machine - Book Review - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

We are so super excited to tell you about this book. I was hooked and reeled in by the title never mind the book cover illustration (above) which looks absolutely amazing. My expectations were high and I was really looking forward to starting the journey. I had read many of the author's previous books which I enjoyed but this book is absolutely earth-shatteringly brilliant. I loved every page of this fishy-bonkers, zany out-of-this universe adventure. It has to be one of the best books I've read this year. It has the most imaginative plot that fitted me like a fantasy glove. 

The more you read the bigger your smile. The characters are written with real depth as they move straight to your heart. They are an eclectic bunch of the weird and wonderful as they uniquely pull you through the narrative. You'll weave in and out of disaster and danger with high-octane, octopod action. The main characters are Fern Shakespeare and her talking plant, Morse. There's also Tapper Watson, an Erisean boy, who loves adventure stories and has 67 cousins. 

The adventure begins when the two galaxies (Fern and Tapper's) collide on an unscheduled visit to Earth. All aboard the submarine and the River Lethe where you'll catch up with a pair of trigger-happy lobster monsters carrying laser guns that turn everyone to stone. You'll then be introduced to a pair of smugglers that just can't help finding themselves in the thick of it. Finally, all the characters search for the mysterious Nemo Machine with the inventor (Fern's dad) whose favourite food is curry!

This book is fantastic - it is really refreshing with some excellent plot ideas that will keep you engrossed and captivated. The story is packed full of unique worlds and some clever, well-worked-out ideas. It's humourous in parts but also warm and tender in others. It delivers an ecological and social message that does not come at the expense of the story.  I was really sad to turn to the final page, however, these characters will stay with me (in my fantasy head and heart) for some time. I'm really hoping and wanting more books in this series soon. PLEASE! 

Tapper Watson and the Quest for the Nemo Machine will be published with suckers and tentacles on the 7th September 2023 by Firefly Press. Book Cover illustration by Becka Moor. Make sure you put it on your pre-order list order now. You will not be disappointed. 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Children's Book Picks July 2023

 

Chris Wormell - The Lucky Bottle - Published by David Fickling Books (6 July 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1788451895 - Paperback - Age: 8+

Ten-year-old Jack is stranded on a desert island. He's been very lucky: he's survived a terrible storm and the mysterious island he has found himself on has a kindly if unusual inhabitant, fresh water and plenty of food. But Jack needs to find his way home, and as he uncovers incredible hidden treasures on the little island, he starts to formulate a plan.

A plan that will involve witchcraft, terrifying sea monsters and pirates! But if Jack's going to succeed he will need to be very very lucky.

Jon Klassen - THE SKULL - Published by Walker Books (11 July 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1529509571 - Hardback - Age: 6

In a big abandoned house, on a barren hill, lives a skull. A brave girl named Otilla has escaped from terrible danger and run away, and when she finds herself lost in the dark forest, the lonely house beckons. Her host, the skull, is afraid of something too, something that comes every night. Can brave Otilla save them both? Steeped in shadows and threaded with subtle wit – with rich, monochromatic artwork and an illuminating author’s note – The Skull is as empowering as it is mysterious and foreboding.

Matthew Fox - The Lovely Dark - Published by Hodder Children's Books (6 July 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1444964745 - Paperback - Age: 8+

Beautifully moving and breathtakingly original, this is a story of bravery and second chances, for readers aged 9+.

When 12-year-old Eleanor Newton dies in an accident, she finds herself journeying down a mysterious river that takes her to The Underworld. She apprehensively embarks on her "afterlife" at Eventide House, a boarding school of sorts for children who have died.

The Underworld is captivating: always sunny and warm but also fractured. Strange things have been happening to Ellie since she arrived: she knows something isn't right, and she doesn't want to be there. She desperately wants to get back to the world of The Living to meet her new baby brother, even if it means being a ghost.

Can Ellie find a way out of the Underworld? And who - or what - will she be if she does? 

The Lovely Dark is another breathtakingly original story from Matthew Fox, author of The Sky Over Rebecca. Set in the modern world, it features themes of life after a pandemic, mental health and grief, all handled with real lightness of touch.

Hiba Noor Khan - Safiyyah's War - Published by Andersen Press (6 July 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1839133138 - Paperback - Age: 8+

War comes to the streets of Paris and Safiyyah’s life changes forever. 

Her best friend’s family has fled, and the bombing makes her afraid to leave the mosque where she lives. But when her father is arrested by the Nazis for his secret Resistance work, it falls to Safiyyah to run the dangerous errands around the city. 
It’s not long before hundreds of persecuted Jews seek sanctuary at the mosque. Can Safiyyah find the courage to enter the treacherous catacombs under Paris and lead the Jews to safety?

Ann Sei Lin - Rebel Fire (Rebel Skies Trilogy) - Published by  Walker Book (6 July 2023) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1406399608 - Paperback - Age: 13+ 

The second in a pacy and lyrical fantasy adventure trilogy set in a world of flying ships, sky cities and rebel uprisings. 

Kurara and her shipmates have escaped the grasp of the princess, whose wish to control and command them as her own human shikigami would be a fate worse than death. Travelling through the forests and across the seas of Mikoshima, they finally the Grand Stream, where their old airship – and old enemies – await.

Both parties seek the greatest shikigami of all: Suzaku, a paper phoenix. But will it be saved – or destroyed?