New Children's & Young Adult Book Picks March 2019 - Post One - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Sam Gayton - The Last Zoo - Published by Andersen Press (7 Mar. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1783447701 - Paperback - Age 9+

Pia lives in a zoo in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with her parents (both ghosts), several old and cranky genies, a devil, and two young angels. She spends her days trimming genie-beards, trying to avoid being tricked into selling her soul, and waiting for the angels to make a miracle big enough to save the world.
Then the angels go missing. Can she solve the riddles of the mysterious haloes the angels have left behind? Is the zoo’s devil really trying to help her? And what does this all have to do with her best friends, the Rekkers? Pia needs to solve the mystery fast, because everything around her seems to be ending: her friendships, her childhood, and maybe even the world itself.

Patrice Lawrence (Author), Becka Moor (Illustrator)Toad Attack! - Published by Barrington Stoke (15 Mar. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1781128442 - Paperback - Age 8+

After a toad lands on his head as he leaves his house one morning, Leo is determined to find out where it has come from and why. Together with his friend Rosa, he needs to come up with some answers before the angry residents of Upper Dab take matters into their own hands and the toads become toast! A brilliantly quirky comedy caper with a diverse and inclusive cast of characters. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant or dyslexic readers.

David O'Connell (Author), Claire Powell (Illustrator) - The Dentist of Darkness (The Dundoodle Mysteries) - Published by Bloomsbury Children's Books (7 Mar. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1408887080 - Paperback - Age 7+

Archie McBudge's lazy summer has just turned into a magical meltdown! The second adventure in this madcap magical mystery series is perfect for fans of How to Train Your Dragon, amateur detectives and anyone who loves SWEETS!

Archie McBudge was planning a sweet summer at Honeystone Hall. Picnics by the loch, watching the honeydragons flying around the hillsides, chasing ghosts through the shadowy castle hallways, and of course, testing out all the new sweets from the McBudge Confectionery Factory. But now the Wyrdie Tree, the source of all the magic in the town of Dundoodle, is dying, and the guardian must save it before Dundoodle's magic is gone for good. And who's the guardian, you ask? That's right, Archie McBudge. With enemies on every side, puzzles to solve and secrets to uncover - not to mention a very scary dentist to avoid - Archie's summer's looking less like a strawberry marshmallow dream and more like a super-sour sherbet lemon with exploding bits that make your mouth go numb for a week!

The follow-up to David O'Connell's The Chocolate Factory Ghost, this is a must-read for anyone who loves ghosts, monsters, toffee, marshmallows, and wants to explore more of the weird and wonderful town of Dundoodle.

James Nicol - A Witch Come True (The Apprentice Witch) - Published by Chicken House (7 Mar. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1910655986 - Paperback - Age 7+

The war is over and Arianwyn has discovered the secret of the quiet glyphs, but her troubles are far from over. Her day-to-day work as Lull's Witch is tricky enough: winter has set in, bringing bad weather, ice imps and befuddling Yule traditions. But when Arianwyn's grandmother is abducted by the traitor on the Council, our witch faces her greatest challenge yet. What really makes a witch come true? Our lovable heroine is about to find out ...

New Children's & Young Adult Book Picks March 2019 - Post One - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

David Almond (Author), Dave McKean (Illustrator) - Joe Quinn's Poltergeist - Published by Walker Books (7 Mar. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1406363197 - Hardback 

A dark, powerful and moving short story from the internationally acclaimed author of Skellig.

Joe Quinn tells everyone about the poltergeist in his house, but no one believes him. No one that is, except for Davey. He’s felt the inexplicable presence in the rooms, he’s seen random objects fly through the air. And there’s something else … a memory of his beloved sister, and a feeling deep down that somehow it might be possible for ghosts to exist.

 Steven Butler (Author), Steven Lenton (Illustrator) - Sea-ing is Believing! (Nothing to see Here Hotel) - Published by  Simon & Schuster Children's UK (21 Mar. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1471178733 - Paperback 

Welcome to The Nothing to See Here Hotel! A hotel for magical creatures run by Frankie Banister and his parents.
Frankie Banister and his family are preparing to celebrate Grandad Abraham’s 175th birthday – an occasion that’s going to be even more HONKHUMPTIOUS now that Abe’s ghost has showed up!
 
When the unexpected spook reveals a secret UNDERWATER wing of the hotel that’s been hidden away for years, the Banister’s decide there’s only one thing for it … a whopping welcome home bash in the spectacular BRINY BALLROOM.
 
But memories aren’t the only things waiting at the bottom of the ocean. Secrets and sea monsters are lurking in the shadows, and is everything as it seems with Grandad Abraham’s ghost? Or is there something fishy going on?

 Paul Stewart (Author), Chris Riddell (Author) - The Edge Chronicles 13: The Descenders: Third Book of Cade - Published by Doubleday Children's (7 Mar. 2019) - Hardback

Cade Quarter has spent the last few years of his life running from an enemy he’s never even met – the ruthless and power-hungry High Professor of Flight, Quove Lentis. But Quove’s deadly agenda has finally caught up with Cade, and now he must leave his home and flee once more, this time to the legendary floating city of New Sanctaphrax. But even reuniting with his uncle, Nate Quarter, isn’t the end of Cade’s troubles – and now, more than ever, he must find the courage to defy his enemies, unite his friends, and unlock the secrets of descending. 

The Descenders is the third and final book in the Cade trilogy - the fifth and final saga in Stewart and Riddell’s internationally bestselling series, The Edge Chronicles, which has featured on the Times and New York Times bestseller lists and sold more than 3 million copies. 2018 marks twenty years of the series, now complete with thirteen titles across five separate but interlinking sagas.

Fleur Hitchcock - The Boy Who Flew - Published by Nosy Crow Ltd (7 Mar. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1788004381 - Paperback - See Book Review Here

Athan Wilde dreams of flight. When his friend, Mr Chen, is murdered, Athan must rescue the flying machine they were building together and stop it falling into the wrong hands. But keeping the machine safe puts his family in terrible danger. What will Athan choose – flight or family?

From the acclaimed author of Murder In Midwinter, Fleur Hitchcock’s The Boy Who Flew is a thrilling, murderous tale set among the steep rooftops and slippery characters of Athan’s intricately imagined world. Perfect for fans of Philip Pullman, Peter Bunzl and Philip Reeve.

Here’s an exclusive early look inside the book: https://issuu.com/nosycrow/docs/repro_theboywhoflew_prelims_hi-res

New Children's & Young Adult Book Picks February 2019 - Post Two - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Michelle Harrison - A Pinch of Magic - Published by Simon & Schuster Children's UK (7 Feb. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1471124297 - Paperback

On the isle of Crowstone, set upon eerie marshes with a prison as its closest neighbour, the Widdershins sisters: Betty, Fliss, and Charlie, set out to break a deadly curse which has haunted their family for generations.

But the curse isn’t the only unusual thing about the Widdershins. Each of them possesses a magical object that’s been passed down the family. A scruffy carpet bag, a set of wooden nesting dolls and a gilt-framed mirror . . . none of them is what they seem.

Will they be enough to break the curse? Or will the sisters have better luck with the mysterious prisoner who claims he can help them – for a price?

Jasbinder Bilan - Asha & the Spirit Bird - Chicken House Books (7 Feb. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1911490197- Paperback

Asha lives in the foothills of the Himalayas. Money is tight and she misses her papa who works in the city. When he suddenly stops sending his wages, a ruthless moneylender ransacks their home and her mother talks of leaving.

From her den in the mango tree, Asha makes a pact with her best friend, Jeevan, to find her father and make things right. But the journey is dangerous: they must cross the world's highest mountains and face hunger, tiredness - even snow leopards.

And yet, Asha has the unshakeable sense that the spirit bird of her grandmother - her nanijee - will be watching over her.

Sinéad O’Hart - The Star-spun Web - Published by Stripes Publishing (7 Feb. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1788950220 - Paperback - Book Review Here

With her passion for scientific experimentation and her pet tarantula Violet, Tess de Sousa is no ordinary orphan. When a stranger shows up at Ackerbee’s Home for Lost and Foundlings, claiming to be a distant relative come to adopt her, Tess hopes to find some answers to her mysterious origins. But as she adjusts to her new life at Roedeer Lodge, it becomes clear that Norton F. Cleat knows more about Tess – and the strange device left with her when she was abandoned as a baby – than he’s letting on. And when Tess discovers that the Starspinner is the gateway between her world and a parallel world in which war rages, she realizes she may be the key to a terrible plan. A plan she must stop at all costs...

Benjamin Read & Laura Trinder - The Midnight Hour - Published by Chicken House Books (7 Feb. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1911490906 - Paperback - Book Review Here

Emily's parents have vanished into the secret world of the Midnight Hour - a Victorian London frozen in time - home to magic and monsters. Emily must find them in the city of the Night Folk, armed only with a packed lunch, a stowaway hedgehog and her infamously big mouth.

With bloodthirsty creatures on her tail, Emily has to discover the truth to rescue her parents. What family secret connects her to the Midnight Hour? And can she save both worlds before she runs out of sandwiches?

Chris Bradford (Author), Nelson Evergreen (Illustrator) - S.P.E.A.R. - Published by Barrington Stoke (7 Feb. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1781128497 - Paperback

When Troy is caught up in a terrorist attack that takes the lives of his parents, he discovers an amazing power - bullets can't harm him. With this secret uncovered he's soon recruited into a underground organisation where he meets Scarlet, a girl with her own remarkable talent, and the two put their powers to use... Exhilarating action meets heart-pounding suspense in this three-part novel.

New Children's & Young Adult Book Picks February 2019 - Post One- Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Emma Carroll - When we were Warriors - Published by Faber & Faber (7 Feb. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-0571350407 - Paperback

A body washed up on the beach...
Evacuation to an old house with forbidden rooms and dark secrets...
An animal rescue service...

Set in World War Two, Emma Carroll explores the resilience, resourcefulness and inventiveness of children when their lives fall to pieces. Introducing some compelling new characters, as well as revisiting some familiar settings, these adventures are sure to win over new readers, as well as fans of old favourites such as Letters from the Lighthouse and Frost Hollow Hall.

Vivian French (Author), Hannah Peck (Cover Design) The Steam Whistle Theatre Company - Published by Walker Books (7 Feb. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1406376319 - Paperback

The wonderful adventures of a family theatre-troupe, touring Victorian England by train – a high-octane, high-drama romp, with a colourful company of characters.

Dark and deadly deeds, piratical plots, lost heiresses and poor little orphans – Vivian French conjures up the very spirit of Victorian theatre in a fabulous new novel for middle-grade readers. To avoid financial ruin, the Bottle family’s theatre-troupe has left London behind, travelling to the north of England by train. With new audiences to play to, and less competition, they hope to make enough money to pay off their debts back home. But will their plans be foiled by the odious Olio Sleevery? It’s time for young actors Rosie and Charlie to save the day, and, with the help of their new friend Edie Boiler, ensure the thunderous success of the company's first performance. A wonderful gallery of eccentric characters and an exuberant plot with a twist at the end ... this is storytelling at its theatrical best!

Lynne Kelly - Song for A Whale - Published by Piccadilly Press (5 Feb. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1848126916 - Paperback

A stirring and heart-warming tale of a young deaf girl who is determined to make a difference, the perfect read for fans of Wonder.

Iris was born deaf, but she's never let that define her; after all, it's the only life she's ever known. And until recently she wasn't even very lonely, because her grandparents are both deaf, too. But Grandpa has just died and Grandma's not the same without him. The only place Iris really feels at home anymore is in her electronics workshop where she loves taking apart antique radios.

Then, during a science lesson about sound waves, Iris finds out about a whale who is unable to communicate with other whales. The lonely whale awakens something in Iris. She's determined to show him that someone in the world knows he's there.

Iris works on a foolproof plan to help the whale but she soon realises that that is not enough: Iris wants to find the whale herself.

One stolen credit card, two cruise ship tickets, and the adventure of a lifetime later, Iris and the whale each break through isolation to help one another be truly heard in ways that neither had ever expected.

Claire Fayers - Storm Hound - Macmillan Children's Books (21 Feb. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1509895045 - Paperback - Read Book Review Here...

Storm of Odin is the youngest stormhound of the Wild Hunt that haunts lightning-filled skies. He has longed for the time when he will be able to join his brothers and sisters but on his very first hunt, he finds he can't keep up and falls to earth, landing on the A40 just outside Abergavenny.

Enter twelve-year-old Jessica Price, who finds and adopts a cute puppy from an animal rescue centre. And suddenly, a number of strange people seem very interested in her and her new pet, Storm. People who seem to know a lot about magic . . . 

In Claire Fayers' electrifying adventure Storm Hound, Jessica starts to see that there's something different about her beloved dog and will need to work out which of her new friends she can trust.

New Children's & Young Adult Book Picks January 2019 - Post Two - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Lisa Thompson - The Day I Was Erased - Published by Scholastic (3 Jan. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1407185125 - Paperback

The brand new read-in-one-sitting mystery from the author of unforgettable bestseller The Goldfish Boy.

Maxwell is always in trouble. He's a total menace to his teachers and big sister, but has a soft side, too: he rescued his dog, Monster, from being run over and checks on his elderly neighbour after school. 

One day, while looking through a mysterious cabinet of curiosities, Maxwell finds himself erased from his life: it's as if he's never been born. At first, being able to walk around without being yelled at is great, but Maxwell starts to miss his old life. And, if he'd never existed, then he wouldn't have swooped Monster out of the path of that car... A story of family, friendship and finding your place in the world.

Yoon Ha Lee - Dragon Pearl - Published by Rick Riordan Presents (17 Jan. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1368013352 - Hardback 

Rick Riordan Presents Yoon Ha Lee's space opera about thirteen-year-old Min, who comes from a long line of fox spirits. But you'd never know it by looking at her. To keep the family safe, Min's mother insists that none of them use any fox-magic, such as Charm or shape-shifting. They must appear human at all times. Min feels hemmed in by the household rules and resents the endless chores, the cousins who crowd her, and the aunties who judge her. She would like nothing more than to escape Jinju, her neglected, dust-ridden, and impoverished planet. She's counting the days until she can follow her older brother, Jun, into the Space Forces and see more of the Thousand Worlds.

Andy Shepherd (Author), Sara Ogilvie (Illustrator)The Boy Who Flew with Dragons - Published by Piccadilly Press (10 Jan. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1848127357 - Paperback 

Tomas can't imagine life without his little dragon Flicker. He's become more than a pet - he's a friend like no other. And growing dragons on the dragonfruit tree in the garden with his friends Ted, Kat and Kai is the most amazing thing ever. But Tomas has promised Grandad something - that he and his friends will let their dragons go back to where they belong. The only problem is - that isn't such an easy thing to do. Not when they are still having so much fun with dragons Flicker, Sunny, Crystal and Dodger. Not when they still have to work out where the dragons' home is, and how to get the dragons to leave. And not when Tomas is so close to uncovering the true story of the mysterious dragonfruit tree ...

Samuel J. Halpin (Author), Hannah Peck (Illustrator) - The Peculiar Peggs of Riddling Woods - Published by Usborne Publishing Ltd (10 Jan. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1474945660 - Paperback 

This is the story of a sleepy town called Suds. A place where stories fill the air of children who keep turning grey and disappearing without a trace… 

Poppy and Erasmus are certain there's something peculiar going on in Suds, and they're determined to unravel its secrets. But when they discover the answers might lie in the darking and twisting woods, can they find the courage to creep inside and solve this riddling mystery?

New Children's & Young Adult Book Picks January 2019 - Post One - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Lucy Strange - Our Castle by the Sea - Published by Chicken House (3 Jan. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1911077831 - Paperback - Read Full Extract HERE
England is at war. Growing up in a lighthouse, Pet's world has been one of storms, secret tunnels and stories about sea monsters. But now the clifftops are a terrifying battleground, and her family is torn apart. This is the story of a girl who is small, afraid and unnoticed. A girl who freezes with fear at the enemy planes ripping through the skies overhead. A girl who is somehow destined to become part of the strange, ancient legend of the Daughters of Stone ...

Ross Welford - The Dog Who Saved the World - Published by HarperCollins Children's Books (10 Jan. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-0008256975 - Paperback

The astounding new novel from the bestselling and Costa-shortlisted author of Time Travelling with a Hamster, this is a story for everyone of ten and older who loves adventure, laughs and tears.

When eleven-year-old Georgie befriends an eccentric retired scientist, she becomes the test subject for a thrilling new experiment: a virtual-reality 3D version of the future.

But then a deadly disease threatens the life of every dog in the country and Georgie’s beloved dog, Mr Mash, gets sick. And that’s only the start of her troubles.

Soon, Georgie and Mr Mash must embark on a desperate quest: to save every dog on earth, and maybe even all of humanity …

… without actually leaving the room.

An extraordinary quest with the biggest stakes of all, and a huge idea at its heart, this is time travel – but not as you know it.

Alex Gardiner - Mossbelly MacFearsome and the Dwarves of Doom - Published by Andersen Press (3 Jan. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1783447916 - Paperback

Roger is just an ordinary boy, in an ordinary world – or so he thinks, until a grumpy dwarf warrior, Mossbelly MacFearsome, appears out of thin air and saves him from the school bully. If that isn’t incredible enough, now Moss has decided that Roger is the perfect human companion for his daring quest to defeat the dwarves’ arch-enemy Leatherhead Barnstorm and his horrifying horde of monstrous (but very polite) gorefiends. If Roger doesn’t help Moss, the world as we know it will be destroyed by ogres and dragons and the race of humans will be annihilated. If he does help, he will be late for his tea and his mum will be going mad with worry. A Highland castle, a trainee witch who knows karate, and an ancient spell to be broken – by King Golmar’s braces, just what has Roger got himself into?

A hilarious action-packed fish-out-of-water adventure, perfect for young fans of Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman and Cressida Cowell.

Melissa Savage - The Truth About Martians - Published by Chicken House (3 Jan. 2019) - ISBN-13: 978-1911490821 - Paperback - Read Full Extract HERE 

Mylo never really believed in Martians, unless they had a starring role in one of his comic books. But then a flying saucer crash-lands next to his Roswell, New Mexico, ranch, and he starts to hear voices--like someone is asking for his help. 

With his best friend Dibs and crush Gracie by his side, and his Cracker Jack superhero membership card, a slingshot, and a small American flag--for peace--in tow, Mylo sets out on an epic adventure to investigate the crash and find the Martians. But he and his friends end up discovering more about the universe than they ever could have imagined.