Mr Ripley's Enchanted Children's/ Teen Book Picks - September 2014 US Post

Michael Perry - The Scavengers - Published by HarperCollins (September 2, 2014)

When the world started to fall apart, the government gave everyone two choices: move into the Bubble Cities . . . or take their chances outside. Maggie's family chose to live in the world that was left behind. Deciding it's time to grow up and grow tough, Maggie rechristens herself "Ford Falcon"—a name inspired by the beat-up car she finds at a nearby junkyard. The same junkyard where Ford's family goes to scavenge for things they can use and barter with the other people who live OutBubble. Her family has been able to survive this brave new world by working together. But when Ford comes home one day to discover her home ransacked and her family missing, she must find the strength to rescue her loved ones with the help of some friends.

The Scavengers is a wholly original tween novel that combines an action-packed adventure, a heartfelt family story, and a triumphant journey of self-discovery. It achieves the perfect balance of humor and heart in a world where one person's junk is another person's key to survival.

Kate A. Boorman - Winterkill - Published by Amulet Books (September 9, 2014)

Emmeline knows she’s not supposed to explore the woods outside her settlement. The enemy that wiped out half her people lurks there, attacking at night and keeping them isolated in an unfamiliar land with merciless winters. Living with the shame of her grandmother’s insubordination, Emmeline has learned to keep her head down and her quick tongue silent.

When the settlement leader asks for her hand in marriage, it’s an opportunity for Emmeline to wash the family slate clean—even if she has eyes for another. But before she’s forced into an impossible decision, her dreams urge her into the woods, where she uncovers a path she can’t help but follow. The trail leads to a secret that someone in the village will kill to protect. Her grandmother followed the same path and paid the price. If Emmeline isn’t careful, she will be next.

S. S. Taylor - The Expeditioners and the Secret King Triton's Lair - Published by McSweeney's McMullens (September 23, 2014)

Kit, Zander, and M. K. West are settling into their new lives as students at the Academy for the Exploratory Sciences when Kit finds another mysterious map left for him by their father, the brilliant, famous — and presumed dead — explorer Alexander West. Why did Alexander leave the maps behind, and why are government agents so determined to seize them? What is really going on in a mysterious and unknown stretch of the Caribbean, famous for its violent storms and shipwrecks? And what is the huge contraption M. K. is building in her workshop? As two world powers come to the brink of war, Kit must find a deadly hidden island and unlock its secrets, hoping he has the courage to follow the trail of maps, wherever it may lead.

Julie Berry - The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place - Published by  Roaring Brook Press (September 23, 2014)

There's a murderer on the loose—but that doesn't stop the girls of St. Etheldreda's from attempting to hide the death of their headmistress in this rollicking farce.The students of St. Etheldreda's School for Girls face a bothersome dilemma. Their irascible headmistress, Mrs. Plackett, and her surly brother, Mr. Godding, have been most inconveniently poisoned at Sunday dinner. Now the school will almost certainly be closed and the girls sent home—unless these seven very proper young ladies can hide the murders and convince their neighbors that nothing is wrong.

 Julie Berry's The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place is a smart, hilarious Victorian romp, full of outrageous plot twists, mistaken identities, and mysterious happenings.

Roland Smith - Mutation - Published by Scholastic Press (September 30, 2014)

Monsters of legend come to life! The final thrilling title in Roland Smith's popular series.
Marty and his best friend, Luther, have managed to rescue Marty's cousin Grace from the clutches of the nefarious pseudo-naturalist Noah Blackwood, but their most dangerous mission lies ahead of them. Marty's parents have been missing in Brazil for months and their trail has all but run cold. With time running out, Marty and the Cryptos Island crew race off for Brazil -- where they discover that Noah Blackwood has twisted the natural order of things beyond their wildest, most terrifying dreams.

Carl Hiaasen - Skink No Surrender  - Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers; (September 23, 2014)

Typical Malley - to avoid being shipped off to boarding school, she takes off with some guy she met online. Poor Richard - he knows his cousin's in trouble before she does. Wild Skink - he's a ragged, one-eyed ex-governor of Florida, and enough of a renegade to think he can track Malley down. With Richard riding shotgun, the unlikely pair scour the state, undaunted by blinding storms, crazed pigs, flying bullets and giant gators. 

Carl Hiaasen first introduced readers to Skink more than 25 years ago in DOUBLE WHAMMY, and he quickly became Hiaasen's most iconic and beloved character, appearing in six novels to date. Both teens and adults will be thrilled to catch sight of the elusive 'captain' as he pursues his own unique brand of swamp justice. With Skink at the wheel, the search for a missing girl is both nail-bitingly tense and laugh-out-loud funny.

Mr Ripley's Adult Sci-fi Fantasy Book Picks - Solaris 2014 - UK Post (July, Sept, October)

James Lovegrove - World of Fire - Published by Solaris (11 Sep 2014)
Dev Harmer, reluctant agent of Interstellar Security Solutions, wakes up in a newly cloned host body on the planet Alighieri, ready for action. It's an infernal world, so close to its sun that its surface is regularly baked to 1,000 C, hot enough to turn rock to lava. But deep underground there are networks of tunnels connecting colonies of miners who dig for the precious helium-3 regolith deposits in Alighieri's crust. Polis+, the AI race who are humankind's great galactic rivals, want to claim the fiery planet's mineral wealth for their own. All that stands between them and this goal is Dev. But as well as Polis+'s agents, there are giant moleworms to contend with, and a spate of mysterious earthquakes, and the perils of the surface where a man can be burned to cinders if he gets caught unprotected on the day side...

Christopher Fowler - Nyctophobia -  Published by Solaris (7 Oct 2014)
There are two things you need to know about haunted houses. One, there's never been an actual authenticated haunted house. Two, it's not the house that's haunted, but the person. Callie is a young architectural student who marries Mateo, a wine importer, and moves to a grand old house in Southern Spain. Hyperion House is flooded with light, it also has a mute gardener, a sinister housekeeper and a sealed, dark servants' quarters that nobody has the keys for. And although initially happy, and taking care of Mateo's daughter, Callie can't help being drawn to the dark empty rooms at the back of the house, and becomes convinced that someone is living in there. Uncovering the house's history, she discovers the shocking truth.
As Callie's fear of the darkness returns, she comes to understand the true nature of evil...

Christopher Priest, Garth Nix & Other - Fearsome Magics - Published by Solaris (9 Oct 2014)
A cabinet of magic! A cavalcade of wonder! A collection of stories both strange and wondrous, of tales filled with wild adventure and strange imaginings. Fearsome Magics, the second New Solaris Book of Fantasy, is all these things and more. It is, we think the best book you will read all year. Award-winning editor Jonathan Strahan has invited some of the best and most exciting writers working in fantasy today to let their imaginations run wild and to deliver stories that will thrill and awe, delight and amuse. And above all, stories that are filled with fearsome magic! Authors committed to take part in Fearsome Magics include Christopher Priest, Garth Nix, Catherynne M. Valente, Ellen Klages, Isobelle Carmody, Nalo Hopkinson, Frances Hardinge, Scott Lynch, Robert Shearman, Justina Robson, Christopher Rowe, Karin Tidbeck, K J Parker, and Justina Robson.

Eric Brown - Jani and the Greater Game - Published by  Solaris (31 July 2014)
It's 1910 and the British rule the subcontinent with an iron fist - and with strange technology fuelled by a power source known as Annapurnite - discovered in the foothills of Mount Annapurna. But they rule but at the constant cost of their enemies, mainly the Russians and the Chinese, attempting to learn the secret of this technology...This political confrontation is known as The Greater Game. Into this conflict is pitched eighteen year old Janisha Chaterjee who discovers a strange device which leads her into the foothills of the Himalayas. When Russians spies and the evil priest Durja Das find out about the device, the chase is on to apprehend Janisha before she can reach the Himalayas. There she will learn the secret behind Annapurnite, and what she learns will change the destiny of the world for ever...Jani and the Greater Game is the first book in a rip-roaring, spice-laden, steampunk action adventure series set in India and featuring a heroine who subverts all the norms.

Website: http://www.solarisbooks.com/
Twitter: @SolarisBooks 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Children's/Teens Book Picks - UK Post Two

Derek Landy - Armageddon Outta Here ( The World of Skulduggery Pleasant)  - Published by HarperCollins Children's Books (3 July 2014) 

One AMAZING new novella.

Three GRIPPING new stories.

In the ULTIMATE story collection.

We all know that doors are for people with no imagination so smash the glass, climb through the window and enter the awesome world of Skulduggery Pleasant with this ultimate story collection.

For the first time, every Skulduggery Pleasant short story – plus The End of the World, the World Book Day novelette – is collected into one magnificent volume. But that's not all…

Written specially for this collection, there is an entirely new novella that will drag you into a nail-biting American horror story, Skulduggery-style, and three brand-spanking-new stories spanning the last 150 years. Join Gordon Edgley as he parties like it's 1985, watch Valkyrie Cain face a vampire in a fight to the death, and see the Dead Men as you've never seen them before. And then read the exclusive chapter from the final book…

Introduced by Derek, these are the hidden stories of the skeleton who saves the world… and the girl who's destined to destroy it.

Zoe Marriott - Darkness Hidden ( The name of the Blade) - Walker (3 July 2014)

Against all odds, Mio, Jack and Shinobu have defeated the terrifying Nekomata and got home alive. But Mio is still compelled to protect the katana, and now the Underworld has spawned a worse monster - one carrying a devastating plague that sweeps through London like wildfire. As Mio struggles to protect the city and control the sword's deadly powers, she realizes that this time there is no way she can keep everyone she loves out of the line of fire.

Charlie Fletcher - Dragon Shield Bk 1 - Published by Hodder Children's Books (3 July 2014)

The start of a thrilling, action-packed trilogy from Charlie Fletcher, set in a world where statues come to life and dragons and heroes battle.

Something dark has woken in the British Museum, and it has stopped time, literally freezing the city in its tracks. The people are there, but unmoving, unseeing - like statues. The statues, on the other hand, can move, and are astonished at what they see.

In the Great Ormond Street Hospital, Will and Jo are suddenly plunged into this world of statues - and find themselves pursued by murderous dragons. With help from a couple of friendly statues, Will and Jo must escape the evil that stalks them in the streets of London.

With beautiful illustrations by Nick Tankard.

Emily Carroll Through the Woods - Published by Faber & Faber (3 July 2014)

It came from the woods. Most strange things do.'

Five mysterious, spine-tingling stories follow journeys into (and out of?) the eerie abyss.

These chilling tales spring from the macabre imagination of acclaimed and award-winning comic creator Emily Carroll.

Come take a walk in the woods and see what awaits you there...

Mr Ripley's Random Children's and Teen Picks - July 2014 - UK Post

Amy McCulloch - The Shadow's Curse - Published by Corgi Children's - 3, July 2014

Raim is no closer to figuring out the meaning of the broken vow that sentenced him to exile for life. But with his former best friend now a tyrannical Khan who is holding the girl Raim loves captive, he finds it hard to care. Every day, he and Draikh learn more about their powers, but it quickly becomes clear that he will never be able to stop Khareh and free Wadi unless he can free himself from the ultimate taboo of his people. Reluctantly, Raim begins the long journey down to the dangerous South, to find the maker of his oath.

In Khareh's camp, Wadi is more than capable of devising her own escape plan, but she's gradually realizing she might not want to. The more she learns about Khareh, the more confused she becomes. He's done unquestionably bad things, horrific even, but he's got big dreams for Darhan that might improve their dire situation. What's more, rumours of a Southern king massing an army to invade Darhan are slowly gaining ground. Only if the Northern tribes can come together under a single ruler will they have the strength to fight the South - but what if that ruler is an impulsive (albeit brilliant) young man, barely able to control his ever-growing power, and missing the one part of him that might keep him sane? Whoever conquers the desert, wins the war. And the secret to desert survival lies in Lazar, which is set to become the heart of a great battle once again.

Polly Ho-Yen  - Boy in the Tower - Published by Doubleday Childrens 3, July 2014

When they first arrived, they came quietly and stealthily as if they tip-toed into the world when we were all looking the other way.

Ade loves living at the top of a tower block. From his window, he feels like he can see the whole world stretching out beneath him.

His mum doesn't really like looking outside - but it's going outside that she hates.

She's happier sleeping all day inside their tower, where it's safe.

But one day, other tower blocks on the estate start falling down around them and strange, menacing plants begin to appear.

Now their tower isn't safe anymore. Ade and his mum are trapped and there's no way out . . .

Simon Rae - Medusa's Butterfly - Published by Yearling 3, July 2014

A box is left on Marcus's doorstep in the rain. Fussy Aunt Hester has told Marcus not to open the front door under any circumstances. But she's out - and just this once can't hurt . . . can it?

Except the parcel isn't embroidery supplies for Aunt Hester. Or fishing tackle for Uncle Frank. Whatever is in there, it's alive. And it's ANGRY.

The thing in the box sends Marcus's life spinning horrifyingly out of control ­- controlling his mind and testing his will so that every moment is deadly. Can Marcus overcome the pull of the Gorgon's gaze, and use her power for good? Because he received that box for a reason ­- but he must find out what it is, before the terrible, beautiful Medusa turns everyone he holds dear to stone . . . and then comes for him.

John Flanagan - Brotherband: Slaves of Socorro - Published by Yearling 3, July 2014

When the Heron brotherband become the Skandian duty ship to the Kingdom of Araluen, they're excited at the challenges ahead. Hal, Stig, Thorn and the Herons eagerly set off for the trip - with an unexpected new crew member aboard. But an enemy from their past returns, causing the Herons to be thrown into a dangerous quest to free captured Araluans from the slave market in Socorro. Even with the help of an Araluan Ranger, the task may be too much.

Mr Ripley's New Children's and Teens Book Picks: Published January 2014

                     

                              
Julian Sedgwick - Mysterium 2: The Palace of Memory - Published by Hodder Children's Books - 2, Jan 2014
Danny Woo has escaped from the jaws of death once - but his trials are not yet over. He's meant to be recovering, but when he discovers the Mysterium - the circus into which he was born, and which cost his parents their lives - is being reformed in Barcelona, he determines to join them. But all is not well - who is the bad seed inside the once-loyal company? And who is the woman in green who can kill, and who seems to be trailing Danny with each move he makes? Everything, he knows, is linked to the death of his parents: he must continue his quest to find his parents' killers. Once again, the story culminates in Danny's participation in a well-known and dangerous stunt.
                   

Alan Gibbons - Raining Fire - Published by Indigo - 16, Jan 2014
The gun is the coward's fist. The gun is power. Alex and Ethan are growing up on an estate where there are just two choices: sport or crime. Ethan is selected for a football training programme in the US, his chance to escape the gangs that terrorise his neighbourhood. But Alex is drawn into an explosive feud with a gun at its heart. In this gripping and absorbing real life thriller, Alan Gibbons explores the complex issue of gun crime, and the far reaching consequences it can have.

M. J Howes - Feed - Published by Chicken House - 2, Jan 2014

Fourteen-year-old friends Lola and Patrick are in desperate trouble - along with everybody else. Monstrous enemy invaders have increased their human raids. Those taken face a terrible fate: like animals they will be transported, processed and eaten in a food chain like no other - unless Lola and Patrick can find a way to save them.

                      

Ruth Warburton - WitchFinder: Witch Finder - Published by Hodder Children's Books - 2, Jan 2014

London. 1880. In the slums of Spitalfields apprentice blacksmith Luke is facing initiation into the Malleus Maleficorum, the fearsome brotherhood dedicated to hunting and killing witches.
Luke’s final test is to pick a name at random from the Book of Witches, a name he must track down and kill within a month, or face death himself. Luke knows that tonight will change his life forever. But when he picks out sixteen-year-old Rosa Greenwood, Luke has no idea that his task will be harder than he could ever imagine.

New Children's/Teens Books Published in November 2013 - UK Post

                        

Marie Lu - Champion (Legend Novel) - Published by Penguin (5 Nov 2013)

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic - and each other - and now their country is on the brink of a new peaceful existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government's elite circles while Day has been assigned a high level military position.

But when a plague outbreak, deadlier than any other, causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic's border cities, the two are thrown back together. June is the only one who knows the key to her country's defence. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything he has.

With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu's bestselling trilogy, a brilliant re-imaginging of Les Miserables, draws to a stunning conclusion.

                          

Sally Gardner & David Roberts - Tinder - Published by Indigo (7 Nov 2013)

Otto Hundebiss is tired of war, but when he defies Death he walks a dangerous path. A half beast half man gives him shoes and dice which will lead him deep into a web of dark magic and mystery. He meets the beautiful Safire - pure of heart and spirit, the scheming Mistress Jabber and the terrifying Lady of the Nail. He learns the powers of the tinderbox and the wolves whose master he becomes. But will all the riches in the world bring him the thing he most desires?

Fairy tales are often the cruellest stories of all; in this exquisite novel Sally Gardner writes about great love and great loss.

                        

Jessica Khoury - Origin - Published by Razorbill (7 Nov 2013)

Pia has grown up in a secret laboratory hidden deep in the Amazon rainforest. She was raised by a team of scientist who have created her to be the start of a new immortal race. But on the night of her seventeenth birthday, Pia discovers a hole in the electric fence that surrounds the compound andsneaks out. Free in the jungle, she meets Eio, a boy from a nearby village. Together they embark on a race against time to discover the truth about Pia's origin, a truth that will have deadly consequences.

                           

Marcus and Julian Sedgwick - Dark Satanic Mills - Published by Walker (7 Nov 2013)

Set in a near-future Britain, Dark Satanic Mills tracks a young girl's journey from the flooded landmarks of London to the vast, scorched and abandoned hills of the north. Framed for a murder she did not commit, the innocent and beautiful Christie has no other choice but to run for her life. Both a cautionary tale and a rip-roaring road trip, Dark Satanic Mills is altogether an intelligent, captivating and thrilling ride – The Wizard of Oz for a new generation, told in exhilarating shades of light and dark.

Mr Ripley's New Children's Books: Published In July 2013 - UK Post One

                                               

Jon Robinson - Nowhere Book One - Published by Puffin - 4, July 2013

Nowhere is a fast-paced conspiracy thriller by debut author Jon Robinson.

'No one's coming for us.

Not our families, not the police.

No one.'

Alyn, Jes, Ryan and Elsa are Nowhere.

A concrete cube in the middle of a dense forest.

Imprisoned inside are one hundred teenagers from all over the country.

They're all criminals. But none of them remember committing any crimes.

Who has put them there. What do their captors want?

And how will they ever break free . . . ?

***an intensely gripping conspiracy thriller for 11+ readers***

*** a phenomenal debut novel, for readers who love Jason Bourne and Alex Scarrow***

                                             

Sarwat Chadda - Ash Mistry: The World of Darkness - Published by HarperCollins - 4, July 2013

Ash Mistry is in a world of pain. A parallel world in fact, where another version of him seems to be living his life, and the evil Lord Savage – now all-powerful and adored by the nation – is about to carry out a terrible plan.

Worse still, Ash’s superpowers, invested in him by the Death Goddess Kali, seem no longer to be working.

Without Kali, can Ash defeat Savage and save the world?

                                     

S. J. Kincaid - Vortex (Insignia Trilogy) - Published by Hot Key Books - 4, July 2013

Now in his second year as a superhuman cadet-in-training, Tom's been promoted to a mid-level member of the elite training corps known as Camelot Company, or CamCo. As training intensifies and the moment arrives to impress the multinational corporations who will make or break the cadets' careers, Tom finds himself drawn into a power struggle that's more dramatic - and with far higher stakes - than anything he ever imagined. There are nefarious new enemies to outwit, old friendships that take on new faces, a romance that Tom is encouraged to betray, and an increasing desire on Tom's behalf to demand nothing less than 'justice for all' - even if he sabotages his own future in the process. But what will his idealism cost? Filled with camaraderie, wit, action and intelligence, the second book in S. J. Kincaid's futuristic trilogy continues to explore fascinating and timely questions about power, politics, technology, loyalty and friendship.

                                          

Chris Priestley - New World - (Reissue) - Published by Corgi - 31, July 2013
New World is a wonderfully atmospheric and exciting historical adventure about an Elizabethan voyage of discovery to the New World. The story revolves around a fourteen-year-old orphan, Kit, who, attempting to escape his life of petty crime on the streets of London, boards a ship bound for Virginia and, together with other colonists, helps establish a colony at Roanoke.

As winter sets in and the colonists struggle to survive, Kit's past comes back to haunt him when an enemy suddenly reveals himself.

New Books: Published in June 2013 - US Post

                                  

Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson - Starbounders - Published by HarperCollins (June 4, 2013) 
Zachary Night can’t wait to start his top-secret Starbounders training at Indigo 8. But he’s barely started learning the skills he’ll need to protect the galaxy when a space mission goes wrong. Zachary and his friends are accidentally sent to the front lines of an intergalactic skirmish, and they quickly discover a plot to destroy Indigo 8. Piloting a space ship under attack, they must get back to earth before the training center—and the planet—is annihilated.
                                   

Maile Meloy - The Apprentices - Published Putnam Juvenile (June 4, 2013)
Two years have passed since Janie Scott last saw Benjamin Burrows, the mysterious apothecary’s defiant son who stole her heart. On the other side of the world, Benjamin and his father are treating the sick and wounded in the war-torn jungles of Vietnam.

But Benjamin has also been experimenting with a magical new formula that allows him to communicate with Janie across the globe. When Benjamin discovers that she's in trouble, he calls on their friend Pip for help. The three friends are thrown into a desperate chase around the world to find one another, while unraveling the mystery of what threatens them all.  

Acclaimed author Maile Meloy seamlessly weaves together magic and adventure in this breathtaking sequel with stunning illustrations by Ian Schoenherr.

                             

Polly Shulman - The Wells Bequest A Companion to The Grimm Legacy - Published by Nancy Paulsen Books (June 13, 2013)
Leo never imagined that time travel might really be possible, or that the objects in H. G. Wells’ science fiction novels might actually exist. And when a miniature time machine appears in Leo’s bedroom, he has no idea who the tiny, beautiful girl is riding it. But in the few moments before it vanishes, returning to wherever—and whenever—it came from, he recognizes the other tiny rider: himself!

His search for the time machine, the girl, and his fate leads him to the New-York Circulating Material Repository, a magical library that lends out objects instead of books. Hidden away in the Repository basement is the Wells Bequest, a secret collection of powerful objects straight out of classic science fiction novels: robots, rockets, submarines, a shrink ray—and one very famous time machine. And when Leo’s adventure of a lifetime suddenly turns deadly, he must attempt a journey to 1895 to warn real-life scientist Nikola Tesla about a dangerous invention. A race for time is on!
                                

John Kitchen - A spectre in the Stones - Published by Thames River Press (June 1, 2013)
Lloyd Lewis is moving to yet another children's home, but this one is different. It seems to be cast in an unremitting, sunless winter. The staff and children are surly and aggressive, and he soon discovers why: Sarson Hall is gripped in a curse. There are poltergeists creating constant disruptions and, in the cellar, a terrifying ghost. Lloyd’s survival has always depended on his fighting spirit, and he sets about confronting the mayhem surrounding him. In his quest to remove the curse, he finds he possesses a rare power, which leads him to link what is happening to a nearby ravaged stone circle. But can he do anything to remove the curse from Sarson Hall, and can he bring peace once more to the old building and its occupants?

New Picture Book Round Up - September/October 2010

These are four of the best picture books that are going to be published during the next month or so. They have some great illustrations inside that are suitable for all ages - no-one is ever too old. . . .
                                   

Tom Percival - Tobias and the Super Spooky Ghost Book - Published By HarperCollins - 30 Sept 2010
A lonely ghost finds an unexpected friend in this fantastically atmospheric story which marks the debut of an exciting new picture book talent.
Night after night, Tobias the ghost hangs around the empty house where he lives, longing for something interesting to happen. That is, until one day, a girl named Eliza moves in with her family…
Armed with his grandad’s book of spells, Tobias starts to play tricks on Eliza, but has he met his match in this feisty little girl?
Tobias might just be in for a few surprises himself… not to mention finding an amazing new friend!
A delightfully energetic book, full of fun!

                               

Oliver Jeffers - Up and Down - Published By HarperCollins - 2 September - 2010
In this much-anticipated sequel to the internationally best-selling picture book Lost and Found, we re-visit the boy and the penguin after their trip to the South Pole…
The boy and the penguin still enjoy spending all their time together… That is, until the penguin starts to dream of flying, ignoring the boys advice that it is impossible.
Running away, the penguin visits place after place, searching for a chance to get his feet off the ground. But will flying be everything he had hoped? And is the boy missing him, as much as he is missing the boy?

                         

Jenny Nimmo & Gwen Millward - The Beasties - Published By Egmont Books - 4 October 2010

On a starry, starry night Daisy hears a growl that makes her heart go pit-a-pat. It sounds like a story...Every night a new tale drifts up to Daisy - tales of robbers, shipwrecks and lost princesses. Until one night everything goes very quiet. Daisy very slowly looks under the bed to find...Three storytelling beasties! This is a lovingly crafted picture book about the power of imagination and the comfort of storytelling.

                             

 Minako Chiba - The Somebody for ME - Published By North South Books - 1 October 2010

A little girl and a doll find each other

 

The dolls sat in the toyshop window, waiting hopefully for somebody to love them.

            “I want a little girl somebody,” said one.

            “I want a baby somebody,” said another.

            “I want a grandmother somebody,” said a third.

            “I just want the somebody for me,” said Sumiko.

            This tender story will warm the hearts of young and old alike.

New Children's Books - Picks For The Month Of May 2010 - U.S

John Grisham - Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer -Published by Dutton Children's Books - 25 May 2010
Book Synopsis:
In the small city of Strattenburg, there are many lawyers, and though he’s only thirteen years old, Theo Boone thinks he’s one of them. Theo knows every judge, policeman, court clerk—and a lot about the law. He dreams of being a great trial lawyer, of a life in the courtroom.

But Theo finds himself in court much sooner than expected. Because he knows so much—maybe too much—he is suddenly dragged into the middle of a sensational murder trial. A cold-blooded killer is about to go free, and only Theo knows the truth.

The stakes are high, but Theo won’t stop until justice is served. 

Patrick Carman - Trackers #1 - Published by Scholastic Press - 11  May 2010
Book Synopsis:
In the 21st century landscape of bits and bytes, everyone leaves a digital footprint ... even the most advanced cyber criminals. And that’s where the Trackers come in. Four tech-savvy kids armed with high-tech video cameras and esoteric coding skills, the Trackers can find almost anyone, anywhere. Told through a collage of videos, text, and websites, Trackers #1 follows Adam, Finn, Lewis, and Emily as they become entangled in a high-tech, high-stakes game of cat and mouse with Shantorian, the world’s most dangerous hacker. At least, that’s who they think they’re tracking....
As the four dig deeper into the shadowy world of online crime, they soon learn that things aren’t always as they seem.

Lisa Mantchev - Perchance to Dream: Theatre Illuminata - Published by Feiwel & Friends - 25 May 2010
Book Synopsis:
When Nate is kidnapped and taken prisoner by the Sea Goddess, only Bertie can free him. She and her fairy sidekicks embark on a journey aboard the Thèâtre’s caravan, using Bertie’s word magic to guide them. Along the way, they collect a sneak-thief, who has in his possession something most valuable, and meet The Mysterious Stranger, Bertie’s father—and the creator of the scrimshaw medallion. Bertie’s dreams are haunted by Nate, whose love for Bertie is keeping him alive, but in the daytime, it’s Ariel who is tantalizingly close, and the one she is falling for. Who does Bertie love the most? And will her magic be powerful enough to save her once she enters the Sea Goddess’s lair?

Dale E Basye - Blimpo: The Circle of Heck - Published by Random House Books - 11 May 2010
Book Synopsis:
After his second escape from Bea "Elsa" Bubb, the Principal of Darkness, Milton Fauster makes his way to Blimpo—the circle of the otherworldly reform school, Heck, where he's sure his friend Virgil is sentenced. What Milton finds in Blimpo horrifies him. The overweight dead kids spend most of their time running on giant human hamster wheels called DREADmills that detect and exploit their deepest fears. The rest they spend eating Hambone Hank's barbecue—mystery meat that is delicious, but suspiciously (to Milton, anyway) haunting. Every classroom has a huge TV screen showing happy thin people who taunt Blimpo residents with a perfection they will never attain.

Meanwhile, at her new job in the devil's Infernship program, Milton's sister, Marlo, knows all about trying to achieve perfection. And failing miserably. Can Milton get himself and Virgil out of Blimpo in time to rescue Marlo, too? Or is Fauster the next delicacy on Bea "Elsa" Bubb's menu?

Christy Raedeke - Prophecy of Days: The Daykeeper's Grimoire - Published by Flux - 1 May 2010

Book Synopsis:

When her safe-cracker mom and code-breaker dad inherit a dreary Scottish castle, sixteen-year-old Caity Mac Fireland is not happy. Ripped from her cushy life and friends in San Francisco, Caity’s secret fantasy of being discovered by a Hollywood agent, talent scout, or even just a pageant coach seems more unlikely than ever.

But when Caity stumbles across a hidden room in the castle, its walls covered in strange symbols, her life takes a bizarre turn. She finds herself center stage in an international conspiracy involving warring secret societies, assassins, the suppressed revelations of the Mayan Calendar and the year 2012, plus the fate of humanity.
With the help of her friend Justine back home, and Alex, a gorgeous and mysterious Scottish boy, Caity must race to decipher the code and reveal its message to the world before time runs out.

New Children's Book - Picks For The Month Of May 2010 - Post One

Joseph Delaney - The Spook's Nightmare - Published by Bodley Head Children's - 27 May 2010 - H/B
Book Synopsis:
The Spook, Tom and Alice return from Greece to find the County under siege - and the Spook's home is burnt to the ground. With his precious library of knowledge destroyed, they seek refuge on the nearby island of Mona. But with Mona in the thrall of a twisted Shaman there is little respite from hostility or denizens of the dark. And as Alice dodges the ever-tightening net of the island's witch hunters, a more deadly enemy emerges...Bony Lizzie, freshly-escaped from the Spook's bonds, has grand ambitions: to take for herself the throne of isle. She has harnessed the services of a tunnel-dwelling buggane, an evil creature which thrives on stealing the animas, or life force, from its unsuspecting victims. With the buggane as her secret weapon can she become an all-powerful Witch Queen?

Mark Walden - Rouge(H.I.V.E) - Published by Bloomsbury Publishing - 3 May 2010 - P/B
Book Synopsis:
The leaders of the world's villainous forces are being picked off one by one in a series of mysterious attacks and Dr Nero is forced to take temporary control of G.L.O.V.E. when Diabolus Darkdoom is seriously injured. He then discovers that Otto, who has now been missing for several months since Dreadnought, is leading the attacks. Under pressure from the remaining members of the ruling council, Nero is left with no choice but to issue a capture or kill order for Otto. Wing learns of the order and persuades Raven to allow him to join her on her mission to retrieve Otto. Other members of the ruling council, suspicious of Nero's relationship with the boy, have initiated their own missions to eliminate Otto. Wing and Raven find themselves in a deadly race against time to track Otto down before the other G.L.O.V.E. assassins get to him. Their pursuit takes them to a secret facility hidden deep within the Amazon rainforest, where they face a mysterious operative even deadlier than Raven. Meanwhile back at H.I.V.E., the school's own automated defence systems turn against the pupils and staff. And there is no one there to stop it

Roderick Gordon & Brian Williams - Closer(Tunnels) - Published by Chicken House - 3 May 2010 - P/B
Book Synopsis:
At the centre of the Earth, in a world that no one knows exists, Will is in trouble. His enemy, the Styx, are close behind. They'll pursue him to the ends of the world - any world. Meanwhile Drake - with help from the unlikeliest of allies - is preparing to fight the Styx from above. But will his daring plan bring him closer to victory ... or to certain death?

Patrick Ness - Monsters of Men(Chaos Walking)  - Published by Walker Books - 3 May 2010 - H/B
Book Synopsis:
“War,” says the Mayor. “At last.” Three armies march on New Prentisstown, each one intent on destroying the others. Todd and Viola are caught in the middle, with no chance of escape. As the battles commence, how can they hope to stop the fighting? How can there ever be peace when they’re so hopelessly outnumbered? And if war makes monsters of men, what terrible choices await? But then a third voice breaks into the battle, one bent on revenge… The electrifying finale to the award-winning Chaos Walking trilogy, Monsters of Men is a heart-stopping novel about 
power, survival, and the devastating realities of war.

Tommy Donbavand - Scream Street 8:Attack of the Trolls - Published by Walker - 4 May 2010 - P/B
Book Synopsis:
This is the eighth crazy adventure in this hugely popular comedy horror series for ghouls and girls! Now that Luke, Resus and Cleo have learnt how to rid Scream Street of invading normals, they're keen to begin their new quest right away. First stop, Count Negatov's castle! As the trio make their way through the bleak, mucky wilds of Transylvania, it seems that this adventure will be dull, but easy. Until, that is, they're kidnapped by trolls. 'Exactly the sort of grisly, gross and hilarious stuff that kids will love!' - Eoin Colfer. 'Lightning-paced, bloodcurdling fun. I wish I'd been able to visit Scream Street as a kid!' - Darren Shan. This title includes four free collector's cards inside. Wickedly funny Scream Street website is updated regularly with competitions, short stories and new issues of Scream Street's own newspaper, "The Terror Times".

Chris Wooding - Havoc - Published by Scholastic - 3 May 2010 - P/B
Book Synopsis:
This is the eighth crazy adventure in this hugely popular comedy horror series for ghouls and girls! Now that Luke, Resus and Cleo have learnt how to rid Scream Street of invading normals, they're keen to begin their new quest right away. First stop, Count Negatov's castle! As the trio make their way through the bleak, mucky wilds of Transylvania, it seems that this adventure will be dull, but easy. Until, that is, they're kidnapped by trolls. 'Exactly the sort of grisly, gross and hilarious stuff that kids will love!' - Eoin Colfer. 'Lightning-paced, bloodcurdling fun. I wish I'd been able to visit Scream Street as a kid!' - Darren Shan. This title includes four free collector's cards inside. Wickedly funny Scream Street website is updated regularly with competitions, short stories and new issues of Scream Street's own newspaper, "The Terror Times".

Jenna Burtenshaw - Wintercraft - Published by Headline 13 May 2010 - P/B
Book Synopsis :
Ten years ago Kate Winters’ parents were taken by the High Council’s wardens to help with the country’s war effort. 
Now the wardens are back...and prisoners, including Kate's uncle Artemis, are taken south on the terrifying Night Train. Kate and her friend Edgar are hunted by a far more dangerous enemy. Silas Dane – the High Council’s most feared man – recognises Kate as one of the Skilled; a rare group of people able to see through the veil between the living and the dead. His spirit was damaged by the High Council’s experiments into the veil, and he’s convinced that Kate can undo the damage and allow him to find peace.
The knowledge Kate needs lies within Wintercraft – a book thought to be hidden deep beneath the graveyard city of Fume. But the Night of Souls, when the veil between life and death is at its thinnest, is just days away and the High Council have their own sinister plans for Kate and Wintercraft.