New Children's - Book Picks For The Month Of April 2010 - U.K (Hardback)

We have a great month for the hardback book.. Lots of really  nice reads to get us excited and keep us entertained in the spring month of April.

Derek Landy - Dark Days (Skulduggery Pleasant:Bk4) Published by HarperCollins - April 1 2010
Book Synopsis:
It's the fourth Skulduggery Pleasant adventure! only Skulduggery Pleasant himself is lost on the other side of a portal, with only some evil gods for company. Can he possible survive? (Yes, all right, he's already dead. But still.) What can we say, without giving too much away? Not much, is the answer. But what we CAN say is that this book is hilarious, it's tense, and it's packed with all the eye-popping action, crackling one liners and imaginative set pieces you've come to expect. There's a new threat to our plucky heroine, of course. But that's not all. There's also the little fact of the Big Bad, the uber-baddy who's going to come along and really, really destroy the world. (Really.) And what we learn about that villain in this book will literally make your jaw fall off and your hair go white with shock. (Not really.) Will Skulduggery make it out of the Faceless Ones' dimension? Who knows. The problem is, he may not have much to come back to!

Caro King - Shadow Spell - Published by Quercus Publishing - April 1 2010
Book Synopsis: 
Simeon Dark is the most powerful sorcerer in the land of the Drift. Mysterious, cunning, a shape-shifter, only he can stop the evil Strood and save the Drift from dying. But where is he? Nin finds her way to Dark's mansion - a strange castle with a garden and lake spilling into the sky. There she finds a ribbon of shadowy light: could this be the unsaid spell and the clue to unlocking the mystery of Simeon Dark? Meanwhile, Strood is preparing his distillation machine, his pet tigers and some barrels of blood and is coming after her...Caro King has created a funny, rich, thrilling adventure, interwoven with fantastical creatures, myth and magic.

Philip Reeve - A Web Of Air (Mortal Engines:BK6) Published by Scholastic - April 5 2010 - (See Book Review)
Book Synopsis: 
Two years ago, Fever Crumb escaped the war-torn city of London in a travelling theatre. Now she arrives in the extraordinary craer city of Mayda, where buildings ascend the cliffs on funicular rails, and a mysterious recluse is building a machine that can fly. Fever is the engineer he needs - but ruthless enemies will kill to possess their secrets. The fabulous sixth book in the Mortal Engines series, from the brilliant.

Jon Mayhew - Mortlock - Published by Bloomsbury - 5 April 2010 - (See Book Review)
Book Synopsis: 
The sister is a knife-thrower in a magician's stage act, the brother an undertaker's assistant. Neither orphan knows of the other's existence. Until, that is, three terrible Aunts descend on the girl's house and imprison her guardian, the Great Cardamom. His dying act is to pass the girl a note with clues to the secret he carries to his grave. Cardamom was one of three explorers on an expedition to locate the legendary Amarant, a plant with power over life and death. Now, pursued by flesh-eating crow-like ghuls, brother and sister must decode the message and save themselves from its sinister legacy.

Darren Shan - The Thin Executioner - Published by HarperCollins - April 29 2010
Book Synopsis:
A brilliant and brand new story of swords, sand and sorcery from the endless imagination that brought you The Saga of Darren Shan and the Demonata. New characters -- same excitement, action and terror! In a harsh, unforgiving world of slavery and glorified executions, one boy's humiliation leads him to embark on a perilous quest to the faraway lair of a mysterious god. It is a dark, brutal, nightmarish journey which few have ever survived. But to Jebel Rum, the risk is worth it! to retrieve his honour! to win the hand of the girl he loves! to wield unimaginable power! and to become! THE THIN EXECUTIONER

Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell - Wyrmeweald (Wyrmeweald Trilogy) - Published by Doubleday - April 29 2010
Book Synopsis:
 Young pioneer, Micah, enters Wrymeweald full of hope to return home having made his fortune. But this is a land where wyrmes, fabulous dragon-like beasts, roam wild and reign supreme. In Wyrmeweald man is both hunter and hunted - and seventeen-year-old Micah may never return alive, let alone a hero...After a near-brush with death on the edge of a canyon, Micah soon finds a chance to prove his worth when he meets with Eli, a veteran tracker of Wrymeweald. They choose to defend a rare whitewyrme egg and its precious hatchling before it falls into the hands of a band of evil Kith. But the fledgling wyrme has its own guardian in the shape of the beautiful, brave and dangerous Thrace. Thrace, a Kin and a highly-skilled wyrme rider-assasin; and Micah, a would-be Kith, should never mix - but the magnetism between them is strong. Together they join forces on a mission to rescue the hatchling and seek vengenace for loved-ones lost at the hand of Kith bandits. Meanwhile the glorious whitewyrme colony of Wyrmeweald looks on as its land is encroached by gold-diggers and ravaged by bounty hunters. Is Exodus the only option? And if so, when - and where - will they flee too!

Eleanor Updale - Johnny Swanson - Published by David Fickling Books - April 29 2010
Book Synopsis:
This is the answer to smelly feet - wear a clothes peg on your nose. 11-year-old Johnny Swanson is in business. He's raking in the money with his advertising scams and his agony aunt persona, Ada Ardour, who offers advice on absolutely anything in return for a shilling. But his money-making schemes are getting him in too deep. Everything is spiralling out of control, and now his own mother is in mortal danger. There's only one thing for it:Johnny must assume another role - as undercover detective.

Random News Of The House - Jonathan Stroud And Andy Mulligan

 The Big Bartimaeus Announcement

Jonathan Stroud is writing a prequel to the existing there books in Jonathan's bestselling Bartimaeus series which has sold 3 million copies in the UK alone. You might remember that when the first book, The Amulet of Samarkand published in 2003, it took the publishing world by storming, racing in to the bestseller charts and Hollywood came a-callin' buying rights to the series for around $3 million. 6 years on and the books are sold in 37 countries and have won countless awards. We are planning a huge splash to celebrate publication of the new novel, currently scheduled for Autumn next year. Also for release next year is a graphic novel which is being adapted by Andrew Donkin ,should also please Bartimaeus fans. It's going to be the year of the djinni.

And more.

David Fickling Books has just acquired an extraordinary novel by Andy Mulligan called TRASH . Which will be publishing it next autumn, simultaneously in the UK and US. Andy, whose first book RIBBLESTROPis shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Book Prize, says that he wrote TRASH 'hard and fast - it was one of those books where I knew the ending before the beginning, and I found the characters easily: children who survive, against the odds, with a set of instincts and skills that just keep them breathing.' David Fickling says that 'Oxygen levels on the planet will rise when this book gets published. So many people will be holding their breath to see what happens! It is a fantastic nail-biter. The clincher for me is that it is also touching, in places deeply touching, and beautifully written. It says things that need to be said in a way that will be heard. This is just one of those stories that the whole world will want to read.' I am not going to give the plot away - suffice to say we'll be whetting your appetite with more news of TRASH as time goes by.

New Children's Books For September 2009 (paperbacks)

So many great books to be released in September. All these books should keep you busy and excited in the anticipation of getting your hands on a copy. Always look forward to any of your comments and happy reading!


Mark Haddon - Boom! - Published by David Fickling Books 3 Sep 2009

Books Synopsis

From the moment that Jim and his best friend Charlie bug the staff room and overhear two of their teachers speaking to each other in a secret language, they know there's an adventure on its way. But what does 'spudvetch' mean, and why do Mr Kidd's eyes flicker with fluorescent blue light when Charlie says it to him? Perhaps Kidd and Pearce are bank robbers talking in code. Perhaps they're spies. Perhaps they're aliens. Whatever they are, Jimbo and Charlie are determined to find out. There really is an adventure on its way. A nuclear-powered, one hundred-ton adventure with reclining seats and a buffet car. And as it gathers speed and begins to spin out of control, it can only end in one way ...with a BOOM. Note: This book was first published in 1992 under the title "Gridzbi Spudvetch!" It has now been completely re-written (Mark has changed pretty much every sentence one way or another) and given a new title that is much easier to pronounce


Simon Holt - The Devouring: Soulstice - Published by Puffin 3 Sep 2009

Book Synopsis

Beware the darkness and the light. They will steal your soul in day or night. In summer’s warmth or winter’s cold Your life will end when the Vours take hold. In the fearscape no one can hear you cry, And in its depth your soul will die. Reggie Halloway thought she was finished with the Vours – the demons who had possessed her brother, Henry – forever. She'd once faced them in a deathly battle for Henry’s soul and now she wants to forget them. But Quinn, the Vour she left at the bottom of a lake, is back. And he is not alone.


Mark Walden - Dreadnought (H.I.V.E) - Published by Bloomsbury Publishing 7 Sep 2009

Book Synopsis

A renegade faction of the world's most powerful villains is intent on destroying G.L.O.V.E. (Global League Of Villainous Enterprises) and showing the world the true face of evil. The Disciples begin by hijacking Diabolus Darkdoom's Airborne command post, then they kidnap his son and his son's best friend. Unfortunately for them, Nigel Darkdoom (and Franz) also happen to be Otto's friends. Heading out to America, Otto, Wing et al embark on a perilous and highly unauthorised rescue operation. Cut off from the support of H.I.V.E. and on the run from American security forces the hunt for their friends leads to one of the US military's most secret facilities. It becomes clear that the Disciples are not all they appear and in a desperate race against time Otto must work out who his real friends are to prevent the Disciples from completing their true objective. Only Otto can save the world from domination by a sinister new world order but it might be that the price he has to pay is just too high. When it comes to the crunch will he be prepared to sacrifice himself?

Suzanne Collins - Catching Fire (Hunger games Trilogy) - Published by Scholastic 7 Sep 2009

Book Synopsis

After winning the brutal Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen returns to her district, hoping for a peaceful future. But Katniss starts to hear rumours of a deadly rebellion against the Capitol. A rebellion that she and Peeta have helped to create. As Katniss and Peeta are forced to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. Unless Katniss and Peeta can convince the world that they are still lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying... The terrifying sequel to The Hunger Games.

Josh Lacey - Two Tigers on a String (Misfitz Mysteries) - Published by Marion Lloyd Books 7 Sep 2009

Book Synopsis

The second thrilling adventure in the Misfitz series, about four children who share four parents and find themselves caught up in some very unusual mysteries. One afternoon, Frank comes home fromschool to an empty flat. His mother has disappeared. She isn't back that night. Or the next. Where has she gone? How will Frank find her? It's a job for the Misfitz. Together, they sneak out of their home, catch a train across the country and search for clues.They soon find themselves on the trail of a mysterious cult, led by a frightening figure known only as the Tiger.

Mike Wilks - MirrorShade (Mirrorscape) - Published by Egmont Books Ltd 7 Sep 2009

Book Synopsis

Something has gone terribly wrong. Mel and his friends have been locked in Deep Trouble prison in the Mirrorscape, while their evil Mirrorshades - who look exactly like them - are free to cause havoc in Vlam. Luckily, their old friends Goldie and Pilfer - the invisible burglar - are on hand to help them break out and try to prove their innocence. But arson, forgery and theft are the least of what their doubles have been up to. They're involved in a plot that could destroy our heroes. The race to find the mysterious Mirrortree is on! Can the real Mel, Ludo and Wren defeat their enemies in time? The third funny, fast-paced adventure in the fantastical world of the Mirrorscape.

B.R Collins - A Trick of the Dark - Published by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC 7 Sep 2009

Book Synopsis

Zach and his sister Annis have been uprooted by their parents from their comfortable home to a remote and half-built barn in France. Zach is being removed from his 'bad-influence' friends, their parents are trying to salvage their marriage and still remain on speaking terms whilst the bitterness of their father's affair bubbles underneath the surface. And Annis - Annis just keeps going, keeping her head down, trying to keep it together. So far so normal. And then Zach, uncommunicative and contrary as ever these days, defies everything their parents have said and makes his way to the unsafe ruined building at the edge of their new garden, and leans up against the wall. The wall bulges, totters - and suddenly collapses on top of him. Annis, horrified, sees him crumpled on the ground. Desperate, she races towards him, not daring to think anything at all. She sees him, on the ground, broken, silent, not there any more. And then, unbelievably, he moves. Zach moves. Zach, in an extraordinary and instinctive decision, has broken his bond with his own soul, the essence of himself. By doing so he has cheated death. By doing so he has also cheated life. He is unable to touch any human person again. And the essence of himself, his 'other', his soul, is chasing, chasing him, determined to rejoin what should rightfully be together. Zach is on the run, from himself, whom he can never escape, from death, but also from the life that he can never enjoy again. Perhaps only a sister can help him now. An extraordinary, electric and tautly thrilling new novel from the highly acclaimed debut author of The Traitor Game.

Douglas Bruton - The Chess Piece Magician - Published by Floris Books 10 Sep 2009

Book Synopsis

When Corrie's family returns to Uig Bay on the Isle of Lewis for yet another miserable summer holiday, he has no idea of the incredible adventure that lies ahead. He finds a strange figurine on a windswept beach, which looks very like the ancient chess pieces found there centuries ago ...but this one has a magician's staff. Corrie makes friends with local girl, Kat, who tells him the island's legends - of a terrible sea serpent who summoned up never-ending winter, and of a powerful magician who finally banished him. When Corrie hears a voice in the night and the strange little figure starts to glow, he finds himself drawn into an incredible battle between good and evil. Douglas Bruton's brilliant first novel tells a fictional story behind the famed Lewis chessmen, which date from the 12th century and were found in Uig Bay in the 1830s. This gripping fantasy adventure will have both boys and girls on the edge of their seats.

Charlie Higson - The Enemy Book Review (Fourteen)

Mr Ripley's Review

Charlie Higson is a very talented writer, not only does he write screenplays and comedy sketch shows but he's also the co-creator of The Fast Show. He writes adult thriller novels but is best known as the writer of the bestselling 'Young Bond' series. More recently, out of the blue, he has just written a great teenage horror book. It's a cross between 'Shaun of the Dead' and the quality 'gory' parts of a Stephen King book.
The book starts with an understated opening, Small Sam is playing outside like a 'normal' child but then the plot soon escalates into the 'grown-ups' taking him! After a few more pages it soon becomes clear that Small Sam is intended to be part of the menu for the Zombie-like creatures, who are adults that have been infected with a sickness. The book then follows the story, of groups of children, trying to survive in a world which is unsafe and inhabitable.
I loved the way this book draws the reader into the deep depths of a frightening and macabre world. It explores the ways in which children have to live on the edge, fighting for survival when they should've been having fun. The story contains many action scenes including stand-offs between the sick infected grown-ups versus the children.
Charlie has managed to write a heart-stopping horror book, keeping the reader on the edge of their seats with their heart in their mouths. He has played a strong emotional card, portraying key elements of death and friendship resulting in a culmination of the two. The ending is a 'cracker' resulting in the story finishing with a bang!
Let us have more of this type of writing, it's captivating and stunning. The only problem I can envisage is it getting into the hands of younger children, as parents may think it is aimed at the 'Young Bond' market. Even with an age limit of 14+, the audience needs to be carefully monitored. I will have to go now there is a "Zombie" Knocking on my door for a cup of tea so I will catch you in the next post. Five out of Five what next?

Book synopsis

They'll chase you. They'll rip you open. They'll feed on you...When the sickness came, every parent, policeman, politician - every adult - fell ill. The lucky ones died. The others are crazed, confused and hungry. Only children under fourteen remain, and they're fighting to survive. Now there are rumours of a safe place to hide. And so a gang of children begin their quest across London, where all through the city - down alleyways, in deserted houses, underground - the grown-ups lie in wait. But can they make it there - alive?

Book is published by Puffin out 3 Sep 2009


Young Bond Books:

1. Silverfin (2005)
2. BloodFever (2006)
3. Double or Die (2007)
4. Hurricane Gold (2007)
5. By Royal Command (2008)

New Children's Books For July 2009 (Hardbacks)

This is some of the best Hardbacks to be released in the month of July. Next post will look at U.S book releases from May-July 2009.

Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell Barnaby Grimes:Phatom Of Blood Alley Doubleday 2 July 2009 (Book Four in a great Series of books by the award winning Duo)

Barnaby Grimes is a tick-tock lad, high-stacking his way across the rooftops of his city in search of adventure and mystery. In each tale, he encounters a supernatural force and must battle the horrors that await him. In the fiercely competitive world of early photography, the rewards are immense but so are the risks. After an experiment goes disastrously wrong, Barnaby finds himself on the trail of a mad chemist with a talent for disappearing into thin air...


James Patterson - Daniel X:Watch the Skies (Daniel X Children Edition) Doubleday 2 July 2009

Daniel X has his work cut out for him. A teenage alien hunter, he has a deadly list of evil predators to eliminate and while he's made it all look easy so far, much darker days await him. Next on his list is number five, an unsightly and terrifying alien who is watching Daniel as intently as Daniel has been tracking him. Number Five kills for thrills but not just for his own. He is operating a sinister entertainment network and innocent people are unknowingly the stars of the show. But while Number Five may have managed to brainwash the public, is he cunning enough to outwit the alien hunter? As the two seek to destroy one another, who will be the ultimate winner? And will Daniel X live to see who is next on his list?


Chris D'lacey - Dark Fire (David Rain) - Orchard 2 July 2009( Book Five in the Happy clay Dragon saga.)


With the Earth on the brink of recolonisation by dragons, David Rain is sent on an important mission: to seek out and destroy a trace of dark fire, the deadliest force in the universe. But with success could come a terrible price, the sacrifice of a beloved clay dragon. How much does the life of one small dragon count, when the alternative is the birth of a darkling...?

Daniel Finn - Two Good Thieves - Macmillan Children's Books 3 July 2009
(Ripley's Recommended Read)
In the searing heat of an unnamed South American city, a gang of child-thieves runs wild. Demi has the gift of speed - he can pick a pocket and be gone before his victim has even noticed he was there. Baz is his lookout - no one sees her unless she wants them to. It's like a game: dodging the law, keeping one step ahead, being the fastest, the cleverest, the best. But one day, almost by accident, they steal a dazzling, beautiful, priceless jewel - and make a very dangerous enemy. Suddenly they're sucked into a world where children's lives are worthless, where the rich and powerful are just adults who steal on a much grander scale, and where secrets are traded like gold. Their only hope is to make a brave bid for freedom - to head upcountry, away from the unrelenting heat, the dried-up river, the only home they've ever known. When good and bad are meaningless, two child thieves become the beating moral heart of an unputdownable thriller.

Linda Buckley-Archer - Time Quake (Gideon) Simon & Schuster Children's 6 July 2009
(Book three in the enjoyable time travel books)
The catastrophic consequences of time travel are now impossible to ignore. Lord Luxon has set his sights on the ultimate prize: America, while, abducted to 1763, Peter and Kate begin to understand that history has arrived at a tipping point. Transformed into an oracle, Kate is able to see the future as easily as the past. Gideon does all he can to help, but he is tormented by the knowledge that The Tar Man, his nemesis, is also his brother. As they pursue him through the dark streets of eighteenth-century London, and the time quakes begin, Peter realises that this monster may hold the fate of us all in his hands.


Marcus Sedgwick - Revolver - Orion books 16 July 2009 A gritty real life adventure.

1910. A cabin north of the Arctic Circle. Fifteen-year-old Sig Andersson is alone. Alone, except for the corpse of his father, who died earlier that day after falling through a weak spot on the ice-covered lake. His sister, Anna, and step-mother, Nadya, have gone to the local town for help. Then comes a knock at the door. It's a man, the flash of a revolver's butt at his hip, and a mean glare in his eyes. Sig has never seen him before but Wolff claims to have unfinished business with his father. As Sig gradually learns the awful truth about Wolff's connection to his father, Sig finds his thoughts drawn to a certain box hidden on a shelf in the storeroom, in which lies his father's prized possession - a revolver. When Anna returns alone, and Wolff begins to close in, Sigs choice is pulled into sharp focus. Should he use the gun, or not?

New Hardbacks For June 2009

Some of the best picks for June 2009.

Joseph Delaney - The Spook's Sacrifice(Wardstone Chronicles) - Bodley Head Children's
4 June 2009

As the Spook's apprentice Tom's first duty is to protect the County from the dark. But now Mam needs his help in her homeland of Greece. One of the most dangerous of the old gods, the Ordeen, is about to return there, bringing slaughter and devastation. Meanwhile, the Devil himself is still loose and if he and the Ordeen join forces, a new age of darkness will descend. Mam has summoned a powerful group to her side but among them are Tom's old enemy, the Pendle witches, including the assassin Grimalkin, and the cunning clan leader Mab Moldheel. Can Tom go against all the Spook has taught him and ally himself to the witches? What is the secret that Mam is keeping from him? And what sacrifices must be made in the battle against the dark?


F E Higgins - The Eyeball Collector - Macmillan Children's Books - 5 June 2009

When his butterfly-collector father is swindled to within an inch of his life, a vengeful Hector leaves the city of Urbs Umida in pursuit of a fiendish villain with a glass eye. The trail leads to Withypitts Hall, a forbidding Gothic mansion as warped as its inhabitants and their secret schemes. Soon Hector finds himself embroiled in mysterious deeds more poisonous than his worst imaginings, but every twist and turn brings him closer to his revenge ...The third dark and diabolical book from a devilishly talented author.



Michael Scott - The Sorceress(Secrets of Nicholas Flamel) - Doubleday - 25 June 2009

Paris: Dr John Dee has torn the city apart in every attempt to intercept the immortal Nicholas Flamel and Sophie and Josh Newman. Paris' streets are in ruins, Notre Dame is destroyed. Dee has the book of "Abraham the Mage", but he's still missing the two pages the Dark Elders need for the Final Summoning. Without them the spell cannot be cast, and Dee is well aware that the Dark Elders will not rest until they are in power and the human race is destroyed - or he is. London: If Nicholas Flamel hopes to defeat Dee, he must find an Elder who can teach Josh and Sophie the third elemental magic - Water Magic. The problem? The only Elder who can do that is Gilgamesh, and he is completely insane.

Mr Ripley's U.S Hardback pick of the Month is.

R.D Henham - Green Dragon Codex (The Dragon Codices) Mirrorstone - June 2009
When ten-year-old Scamp Weaver finds a locked chest in a forest clearing, he feels like his life is finally about to change for the better. But he doesn't bargain for just how much change the chest will bring. Inside he finds a dragon egg and a mysterious ancient scroll, which set Scamp and his best friend Dannika off on a harrowing adventure, chased by dragon hunters who want the contents of the chest for themselves. Life gets ever more complicated when the baby green dragon hatches. Will this cute, mischievous hatchling really grow up to be an evil green dragon?


Also out early in the U.S is Angie Sages - Septimus Heap: The Magykal Papers which will be released by HarperCollins - 23 June 2009.

Enter the world of Septimus Heap with this collection of previously unpublished papers.

This rich compendium includes:


The private journals of Septimus, Jenna, and Marcia Overstrand.


The best—and worst—places to eat as described in The Egg-on-Toast Restaurant Guide.


Sirius Weazal's Speedy Guides to the Palace, the Wizard Tower, and Wizard Way.


Excerpts from the Pigeon Post Biography series and the Heaps of History series.


Alther Mella's Guide to Being Dead: Ten Handy Rules for New Ghosts.


Beautiful maps, quirky flyers, funny letters, and much more!

Michael Buckley - National Espionage,Rescue and Defense Society Books to Watch out for.

More great books making the deals and Highlights for 2009-2010


Michael Buckley's high-concept YA series, N.E.R.D.S. The acronym--it stands for National Espionage, Rescue and Defense Society--refers to five awkward kids who run an underground spy ring out of their middle school. The book deal which will encompass five books are to be published by Amulet some time in Sept 2009. Michael Buckley, who wrote the Sisters Grimm series, has peppered the work with whimsical touches--the kids access their secret lair through a portal in their lockers-- which will translate well to screen;the books also have a "part James Bond, part Goonies element to the story."

James Dashner - The Maze Runner
Another manuscript that's just begun making the rounds in U.S is the first title in James Dashner's YA fantasy series, The Maze Runner. The film rights to the book, about a teenager who wakes up in an alternate universe filled with other boys called The Glade--it's a large open space surrounded by a stone wall that ominously drops each morning and erects each night. With boys arriving every 30 days, the community is jolted when a girl is suddenly thrown into the mix. Reps from the Gotham Group said they's pitching the book as Lost meets Pan's Labyrinth.Three books so far in this great new sereis which should hit the shops sonme time in October this year.