The Best Children's Book Picks JAN 2024 US Post - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

Author: Ben Guterson 

Illustrator: Kristina Kister

Book Title: The World-Famous Nine

Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books (January 30, 2024)

Age: 9-12 Years

Zander Olinga’s grandmother is the owner of the fabled Number Nine Plaza, the spectacular nineteen-story skyscraper. The Nine, as it’s called, has everything imaginable, including a massive Ferris wheel on its rooftop, monorail tracks suspended from its ceiling, and twenty-five glass elevators. But there’s something evil looming in the shadows, and strange accidents start befalling the guests. When Zander and his friend Natasha come across a series of inscriptions hidden throughout the walls of The Nine, they discover that the clues will lead them to a magical object that protects the store’s very existence. With the future of The Nine on the line, the pair are determined to recover the mysterious object before the luxury plaza and its many guests are destroyed. 

 
Featuring an unforgettable setting and a larger-than-life cast of characters, here’s a spellbinding mystery involving puzzles, art, and high-stakes adventure.

Author: Marcykate Connolly 

Author: Kathryn Holmes

Book Title: The Thirteenth Circle 

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (January 30, 2024)

Age: 9-12 Years

The X-Files meets Scooby-Doo in THE THIRTEENTH CIRCLE, a middle-grade mystery from MarcyKate Connolly and Kathryn Holmes, featuring two unexpected friends, crop circles, science fairs, and Men in Black, perfect for both the highly scientific and cryptid enthusiasts alike.

Cat knows aliens are real, and she’s determined to prove it. By studying the Weston Farm Circles, her town’s legendary crop circle phenomenon, she’ll not only demonstrate the existence of extraterrestrial life, but also win the grand prize in the McMurray Youth Science Competition―a feat she’s sure will impress her distant NASA scientist father.

Author: Cole Poindexter

Book Title: The Griffin's Egg

Publisher: Wild Rose Press (January 15, 2024)

Age: 10-12 Years 

Lost in a wild West Virginia forest, Phoebe Gray's world is upended when she finds an irritable goblin named Gnish-Gnash. She's stumbled into Lerch Hollow, a place of magic and mystery where trolls lurk in shadows and mermaids sway with the tide. The young adventurer soon finds herself caught up in a race against time; the Dark Mistress Lucinda is on the hunt for the last Griffin's egg, for its power will make her unstoppable. It is up to Phoebe to protect the egg while discovering the secrets of her own magical connection to the mysterious wizard Thatcher. With Gnish at her side and her grandfather's old cloak on her back, Phoebe must protect this enchanted world from destruction.

Author: Zack Loran Clark 

Author: Nick Eliopulos

Book Title: The Doomsday Archives: The Wandering Hour: BK 1 

Publisher: Zando Young Readers (January 30, 2024)

Age: 8-12 Years 

What if your favorite scary story was real?

With eerie illustrations and chilling creepypasta interstitials, The Doomsday Archives: The Wandering Hour by Zack Loran Clark and Nick Eliopulos is the first in a deliciously creepy series, perfect for readers of Jonathan Stroud, Christian McKay Heidicker, and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.

New Rotterdam is no place for a kid―and that’s what Emrys Houtman likes about it. Emrys obsessively documents his town’s urban legends and cryptid sightings in a Wiki, along with his neighbors and fellow horror fans Hazel and Serena. It’s all in good fun until one day, the trio stumbles upon the Doomsday Archives, a collection of relics with dazzling powers and dangerous consequences.

When a mysterious blood-red hourglass begins appearing around town and children begin to go missing, the trio must band together to stop the horrors plaguing New Rotterdam, or risk losing their home . . . and possibly their lives. Because after all this time hunting monsters, the kids have realized the monsters are now hunting them back.

Steven Butler (Author) Steve Lenton (Illustrator) - The Nothing to See Here Hotel - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books Book Review

Welcome to The Nothing to See Here Hotel! A hotel for magical creatures, where weird is normal for Frankie Banister and his parents who run the hotel.

When a goblin messenger arrives at The Nothing to See Here Hotel, announcing the imminent arrival of the goblin prince Grogbah, Frankie and his family rush into action to get ready for their important guest. But it soon becomes obvious that the Banister family are going to have their work cut out with the demanding prince and his never-ending entourage, especially when it turns out the rude little prince is hiding a secret...

The Nothing to See Here Hotel is a crazy and wildly imagined story written by Steven Butler and his sidekick illustrator, Steven Lenton. This is a fantastic new series for the younger reader (Age 6+) or the big kid like me. It is due to be published by the mighty Simon & Schuster Children's in the UK on the 22nd February 2018. It's fantastically illustrated all the way through and will help any reluctant reader to capture the story. It certainly brings the characters to life visually. 

No sooner do you turn the first page, when your life shatters and explodes in a green mist of flesh and uncontrollable smells. You'll open the door of The Nothing to See Here Hotel and be expertly guided through the narrative by Frankie Banister. It is an unbelievable story that might take you and your smelly socks by surprise. You'll wobble down the path of humour before your toes go green and your brain turns into jelly. This is a funny, action-packed crazy ride that is faster than an Orkney Brittle-back, which I have on good authority by Steve. 

This is a disgusting book that you really don't want to read. Nevertheless, you'll feel compelled to read it. It's absolutely crazy - packed full of ghastly humour and outlandish behaviour that will captivate the reading audience. You will be introduced to a bucket-load of magical characters, especially The Royal Regalia of wobbliness, Prince Grogbah, and his troll entourage. 

This is a great book to get kids to read. It is full of imaginative 'shouting' text and rollercoaster action which is more suited to Brighton Pier. It will make you laugh, especially when the story explodes into a fantasy world of swashbuckling mayhem and gnashing teeth. This is Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books young readers pick of the month, so get it ordered now. 

If I was rating this on Trolliday Review it would read. BOG OFF you little pimple. THERE IS NOTHING to see here. Expect ghastly food, dirty bed linen and no service you LOATHSOME LITTLE Toads! Thank you for not staying in the non-star rated hotel in Brighton. Our pleasure is in your dissatisfaction. 
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Book Review: Conrad Mason - The Goblin's Gift - Tales of Port Fayt 2

Picking up the story from the first book (Demon's Watch) the newest recruit Joseph Grubb, and his fellow Watchmen, have their work cut out protecting Port Fayt once again. From page one onwards we are flung into a second madcap adventure as the characters set sail to Port Fayt. However, trouble is brewing from the League of Light - the Duke of Garran and his fleet of ships are trying to wipe them off the map.  The only hope for Port Fayt is to persuade the magical merfolk to fight alongside them, but the merfolk won't go to war. At least not until their princess is returned, which creates a magical split story setting. My favourite part of the story involved a nine year-old underground super villain known as The Boy King. Ruthless ruler of the Ebony Ocean, he is a crazy bully boy who loves a brutal song and a dance or two. One of his star acts includes Princess Pallione - a voice of the gods and a demon shark fighter. However it's up to Joseph and his blue-haired friend, Tabitha, to rescue the mermaid princess from the gangsters clutches. I have to say that I was so immersed in the story from the start, that in a blink of an eye I was half-way through the book in no time. I really liked the style of writing involving the split story setting between the different characters - each immersed in their own battles and dealing with a range of encounters. In my opinion this worked really well as it certainly showed the many different angles to the story. Packed full of filling, this story incorporates lots of well thought out ideas that keeps the reader on their toes such as Joseph's secret from the past. This certainly turned part of the story onto its head and made sure that the reader took a new course of direction. Hugely entertaining, this second book has certainly built upon the magical setting from the first book. The author has delivered another high adventure on sea and land transferring both into a well written story. All lovers of the fantasy genre will want to read this story. The bickering, fighting and waves of emotion are memorable parts of the story as well as the timely sprinkling and inclusion of wit. However, be warned, the loveable characters from the first book may not make it through to the very next book. Hopefully this isn't a cheeky spoiler from me - I don't usually make a habit of giving away such elements of insight! Conrad wraps the book up with a whirlpool of action and plot which will keep you transfixed until the very end. It leaves you with a satisfied feeling having been led onto the subtle path that he has created for the next adventure. This is a superbly written magical fantasy that is up there with the best. It has barrel loads of imagination, action galore, and a huge dollop of mayhem and mischief. The author has triumphantly built on the great foundations of the first book and made this one even more enjoyable. I am looking forward to the next book to be further led along the path that has been started. Published by David Fickling Books - 4th April 2013