**TIE FIGHTER PILOT HELMET FROM STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE TO BE AUCTIONED IN THE UK** (Press Release)

**TIE FIGHTER PILOT HELMET FROM STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE TO BE AUCTIONED IN THE UK** 

ORIGINAL HELMET ONE OF OVER 500 ORIGINAL ITEMS IN UPCOMING AUCTION

• The helmet is one of only a handful made for the original Star Wars trilogy, and is estimated to sell for £50k - £70k at auction
• The total collection of Film & TV memorabilia on the block worth in excess of £1.5 million 
• A free to enter preview exhibition will be open to the public ahead of the Prop Store auction at London’s BFI IMAX, proudly presented by ODEON, from 14 -27 September where you can see the artwork and a host of other lots available

Prop Store – An incredibly rare Imperial TIE fighter pilot helmet from Star Wars: A New Hope, and subsequently used in the hit sequel Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, is to be made available at public auction in the United Kingdom.

Based on concept designs by costume designer John Mollo,the helmet combined components from the iconic Imperial Stormtroopers and heroic X-Wing pilot helmets to create a truly unique design that has gone down as one of the most popular in the history of the famed franchise. The helmet is one of over 100 pieces used in the production of the Star Wars films that will be hotly contested in Prop Store’s 27 September Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction, held at London’s BFI IMAX proudly presented by ODEON.

While there are numerous known examples of the Imperial Stormtrooper helmets from the original series, only a handful of TIE fighter pilot helmets a known to remain in existence today, with even fewer in private hands outside of the Lucasfilm archives in Nicasio, California’s Skywalker Ranch. Compared to the Stormtrooper helmets, only a small number of TIE fighter pilot helmets were made, making them incredibly rare and of great interest to collectors and fans alike.

• ABS plastic construction
• Grey vacuum-formed eye lens
• Imperial ‘Cog’ decals on the forehead
• Foam internal liner
• Protective rubber neck trim

Made for Star Wars: A New Hope, two of the helmets were repurposed for use by AT-AT pilots in The Empire Strikes Back, leaving the remaining helmets to be used by fleeing Imperial pilots in Return of the Jedi. The Prop Store is proud to offer one of the rarest helmets from the Star Wars franchise, a piece perfect for any die-hard Star Wars fan’s collection.

The helmet is estimated to sell for between £50k and £70k. Additional pieces from the Star Wars franchise, including Rebel vests from Star Wars: A New Hope (£4k-6k), a model miniature X-Wing from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (£60k-80k estimate) and an original ILM motion control camera used in the production of the entire original trilogy (£30k-50k estimate) make up over 500 lots from the world of film and television, all going under the hammer on 27 September 2016 from 12PM.

The auction will be live-streamed online for fans to track the bidding on auction day. A free preview exhibition will be open to the public in the run up to the auction, open from Wednesday 14 September at the BFI IMAX and showcasing over 300 lots from the upcoming auction. Star Wars fans will have an opportunity to see the iconic helmet and many other treasures in the exhibition.

Registration and bidding is now open. Bids can be placed online at www.propstore.com/liveauction over the phone or in person. 
The free exhibition open to the public at the BFI IMAX, Waterloo, London, England SE1 8XR from 10:00am to 9:30pm, 14 - 27September 2016. Prop Store’s Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction, in partnership with the BFI IMAX proudly presented by ODEON, will take place at the BFI IMAX Waterloo (1 Charlie Chaplin Walk, London SE1 8XR) on Tuesday 27 September from 12:00pm.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Theresa Breslin - Caged - Book Review

• 
  
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Corgi Children's (1 Sept. 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0552565229

• ISBN-13: 978-0552565226

Carnegie Medal winner Theresa Breslin explores the dangerous world of cage-fighting in this dark and powerful new novel. 

Escaping from a troubled home and struggling to survive on the streets, the abandoned tunnels of the London Underground are a perfect sanctuary for Kai. Along with other teenagers running from their pasts, he finds somewhere to belong in this strange community of outcasts.

But Kai is now facing a very different kind of fight. Every night, led by the enigmatic Spartacus, the runaways must become cage fighters, each fight broadcast to the outside world via YouTube. With gambling profits from these videos racking up, Kai and his friends hope to be able to start a new life. 

Yet treachery and danger are never far behind, and a new arrival threatens the order that Spartacus has worked so carefully to maintain. And then there is the looming finale, the last battle between Kai and his nemesis Leo: the Kill Fight...

As soon as you turn the first page, it will definitely have you focused on the story ahead. Crawling through the darkness will eventually lead you to page one. At this point, the mind will sharpen and flex with these powerful words "Blood has a stale taste. Brings back a memory". You will suddenly find yourself transported into a dangerous world of cage fighting. With a narrative this strong, you will be hooked in like a pro boxer and soon be rocking on the ropes of fantasy in a blink of a punch. 

This is a brilliantly written story full of highs and lows over a period of just one week. Within a very short period of time, you will meet the characters and intimately get to know most of them. Their troubled teenage lives and backgrounds pull the narrative together like a vice. Homeless, being alone and afraid, they are all in search for a place to belong, but will they find it? 

This story was inspired by an ever increasing number of young people living rough on our city streets. The author skilfully draws together her feelings and emotions into the characters very sensitively - it is a delight to read. The story is very much in keeping with the daily struggles of teenage life, for some young people. The sense of being different is evident and explored within this book; it makes you think about how our minds consider and act upon every day issues. It's a real reality check and one that every reader, regardless of age, should and will connect with. It is very thought provoking.

This is a great social story that captures the bonds of friendships. It is very topical and cool with a dark and edgy killer kick. There is a great sense of wonder and intrigue pulling together contemporary ideas and placing them underneath the mysterious streets of London. 

The fighting scenes in the story, perhaps needed a little more work, as they lacked a little bit of realism for me within the story. However, the rest of the plot was fantastic and worked really well; it was maybe a little predictable in places, but so what? The ending was climatic, explosive and tied up all the loose ends very nicely. This is a very satisfying read and one of the best books that I've read from Theresa. It is throughly engaging and is based on a great concept. Great reading and a book, I would really recommend! 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's/Teen Book Picks UK Published - September 2016 - Post Two

Margaret Atwood & Johnnie Christmas - Angel Catbird Volume 1 - Published by Dark Horse (8 Sept. 2016)

ONE OF THE WORLD'S BIGGEST AUTHORS PRESENTS A PULPY PUN-FEST 
Lauded novelist Margaret Atwood and acclaimed artist Johnnie Christmas collaborate on one of the most highly anticipated comic book and literary events of the year.
On a dark night, young genetic engineer Strig Feleedus is accidentally mutated by his own experiment and merges with the DNA of a cat and an owl. What follows is a humorous, action-driven, pulp-inspired superhero adventure with a lot of cat puns.

Published in over 35 countries, Margaret Atwood is one of the most important living writers of our day and is the author of more than 40 books of fiction, poetry and critical essays. Her work has won the Man Booker Prize, the Giller Prize, Premio Mondello and more. Angel Catbird is her first graphic novel series.

Tahereh Mafi - Furthermore - Published by Puffin (1 Sept. 2016)

Colour and magic combine in this enchanting new middle grade fantasy from the bestselling author of the Shatter Me series.

Born as blank as canvas in a world brimming with colour and magic, Alice's pale skin and milk-white hair mark her as an outcast. Because, for the people of Ferenwood, colour and magic are one and the same. And since the disappearance of her beloved father, Alice is more determined than ever to prove herself and her own magical abilities.

Ransom Riggs - Tales of the Peculiar (Miss Peregrines Peculiar Children) - Published by Penguin (6 Sept. 2016)

*A new set of stories from the world of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children*

In this collection of fairy tales, Ransom Riggs invites you to uncover hidden legends of the peculiar world. A fork-tongued princess, a girl who talks to ghosts, and wealthy cannibals who dine on the discarded limbs of peculiars are just a few of the characters whose stories will have you hooked.

Featuring stunning illustrations from world-renowned artist Andrew Davidson, this compelling, rich and truly peculiar anthology is the perfect gift for fans - and for all lovers of great storytelling.

Neil Gaiman (Author) & Chris Riddell (Illustrator) - Odd and the Frost Giants - Published by Bloomsbury Children's (8 Sept. 2016)

A thrilling, wintry Nordic epic from the truly magical combination of author Neil Gaiman and illustrator Chris Riddell, weaving a tale of legend, magic and adventure which will grip and enchant readers from beginning to end.

Odd, a young Viking boy, is left fatherless following a raid and in his icy, ancient world there is no mercy for an unlucky soul with a crushed foot and no one to protect him. Fleeing to the woods, Odd stumbles upon and releases a trapped bear . and then Odd's destiny begins to change. The eagle, bear and fox Odd encounters are Norse gods, trapped in animal form by the evil frost giants who have conquered Asgard, the city of the gods. Now our hero must reclaim Thor's hammer, outwit the frost giants and release the gods . 

This rich and layered tale of courage is told with humour and in breathtaking style by two creators at the height of their powers: from the author of modern classics such as American Gods, Coraline and The Sleeper and the Spindle, Odd and the Frost Giants will leave you spellbound. Lavishly produced and packed with Chris Riddell's glorious illustration enhanced with metallic ink, this is a spectacular and magical gift.

Guy Bass (Author) & Lee Robinson (Illustrator) SPYNOSAUR UK Blog Tour 2016 (With Monkey Poo)

This is the first in a hilarious new series from best-selling author Guy Bass. It has been illustrated by the amazingly talented Lee Robinson and published by Stripes Publishing on the 8th September 2016. Yes, that's today you lucky people, so you can now buy a copy after reading this fantastic interview and feed it to your prehistoric book worms. Please check out all the other #Spynotour blog posts at the bottom of the post. Over to Guy and Lee...

GUY BASS: How difficult was it to produce a humorous book to engage children and make them laugh?

I rarely find writing easy, but I love writing funny books. Humour cuts through tension, offers light relief in dark moments and makes it easier to raise the stakes without anyone kicking up a fuss. With Spynosaur I was spoofing spy stories, which often sacrifice logic for the sake of enjoyment, so it was fun to push that absurdity further. Also, Lee Robinson really nails the balance of humour and tension in his illustrations.

What would be your summary of this book in 20 words or less?

Secret saurian super-spy sIlliness - sometimes strange, certainly stirring, staggeringly sensational! (Also, monkey poo.)

Where did you get your ideas for this book?

I wrote a book called Secret Santa: Agent of X.M.A.S and it whetted my appetite for spy stuff. I jotted down a tagline in my notebook - "Spynosaur - he's waited 65 million years to complete his mission". I didn't have a story but I liked the idea of a secret agent who was ridiculously conspicuous. It didn't get much further than that for a few years. I kept revisiting it as a sort of origin story, but it wasn't quite right. My editor suggesting potting Spynosaur's origin in a comic book format, and I remembered the theme tunes of the cartoons I used to watch in the 80s. Then it started to come together - a big, loud, improbable adventure, filled with ridiculous set pieces, inescapable situations, and ninja snowmen.

What would be a Spynosaur's favourite sandwich filling?

Small fluffy animals.

As a child did you enjoy reading? If so, what was your favourite book and did this author influence your writing in any particular way? 

I had a tricky relationship with reading as a child. It wasn't a comprehension issue - I found books daunting. Roald Dahl helped a lot - I mean, a lot. His books were pacy and irreverent and, by and large, the had a supernatural or otherworldly element, which I loved. George's Marvellous Medicine changed everything. I adored that book. It's incredibly efficient writing, playful, a little dark and just wonderfully strange. In the book Dahl calls it "the edge of a magic world". That stuck with me - the idea that the world we live in is a surface to be scratched. Underneath is strangeness and magic.

Could begin by telling us a little bit about yourself?

Hello! My name is Lee Robinson, and I'm a illustrator hailing from the sunny North East of England. I did an awful lot of drawing growing up, as I was surrounded by lots of cousins and a granddad with a brilliant knack for making up stories on the spot (I still struggle with that). We designed levels for games, new strips for football teams, characters for Saturday morning shows etc. As I got slightly older, I discovered Pokemon and my love of manga and anime began. Like many young artists, I would draw thousands of floating heads until I could draw the perfect set of eyes. This carried on for a few more years, but my love for art was also competing with my new love for skateboarding, so I'm sad to say drawing fell by the way-side a bit (don't worry, it's not the last you'll hear of it!).

My parents were always very supportive, but no one in my family had ever gone down the artistic career path, and we weren't very clued up on what I could achieve by drawing little characters. So, with my best interests at heart, they thought teaching may be a better and safer choice. And yet, I think there was always a pull from that side of my brain telling me to keep drawing. And I did. After spells of plucking turkeys, dry stone walling, delivering the Yellow Pages, and cleaning out drains (teaching never worked out), I signed up to an FD in Animation at Newcastle College and put myself on the trajectory to become a professional artist. There has been a lot of hard work put in since then, but I feel very lucky to be where I am right now. 

What comes first for you - pictures or words?

Probably pictures, but the two go hand in hand, I think. Recently I was creating my own comic strip, and tried writing a script, which is something I've never really done before. While it was a fun experience, I felt I was thinking of the pictures first, then having to break down these into text. I was creating an extra step for myself, so instead I roughly drew the whole story out, and I could be more expressive and get those ideas out a bit quicker than writing. Obviously, a lot of people would do it the other way around.

When I first started designing the characters for Spynosaur, I'd been sent some of the manuscript Guy had written, and these trigger different ideas and thoughts that I would not have been able to achieve by just drawing alone.

How did the collaboration work between you and Guy?

Fantastic! Anyone who has read any of Guy's books will know that they are packed full of the good stuff. When I first read the manuscript, I was getting sweaty palms (and sore ribs) thinking of all the ways to illustrate this scene or that. I feel very lucky that Guy, Ali, Paul, and everyone at Stripes gave me so much room to explore, and let me stamp my own ideas onto the book. Spynosaur in particular went through a few design changes, and little things were being changed right up to deadline! But everyone was trying to achieve the best results, and I think the choices we took were for the best. We always knew that we wanted a Saturday Morning cartoon feel to the book and I think we achieved that together. 

What are you most proud of within this book? Is there anything that you would change?

Guy created some of the most villains for this story, and I had a lot of fun designing them. I feel like you can always push the shapes a bit further when drawing baddies! I think we've created some memorable characters, and they all have a unique look and silhouettes, which is really important! Of course, in a book about dinosaur spies, there is a lot of action to be drawn! But I drew a little illustration near the end of the book that I found quite touching, and it made me smile when I drew it, so that's the part I'm more proud of.

For the next book, I hope we can up the ante on the comic pages! We'll keep trying to get a seamless transition between the text and the panels so the reader feels truly immersed. 

What is your favourite drawing technique/tool?

I drew all of this book on my Cintiq in Photoshop, and for ease and time, this is definitely one of my favourite tools. It is only a tool, though, and I still love drawing on good ol' pen and paper. I think it's important to keep exploring with different mediums, as it stops us stagnating. Keeping trying new things and never stop learning!  

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's/Teen Book Picks UK Published - September 2016 - Post One

Chris Riddell - Ottoline and the Purple Fox - Published by Macmillan Children's Books (22 Sept. 2016)

Ottoline is back in Ottoline and the Purple Fox, a brand new adventure from Children's Laureate, Chris Riddell. 

Ottoline and Mr Munroe love puzzles, clues and mysteries. One day, they meet an enigmatic purple fox, who offers to take them on a night-time urban safari. The fox shows them all the hidden animals of the city and Ottoline makes notes on them in her field notebook. Mr Munroe is making notes too - on the anonymous poems he finds stuck to lampposts on their journey. Who is the secretive poet, and how can he and Ottoline help them mend their broken heart? 

Includes a free fold-up-and-keep fortune teller!

Jonathan Stroud - The Creeping Shadow - Published by Corgi Children's (15 Sept. 2016)

Lucy has left Lockwood & Co. A freelance operative, she is hiring herself out to other agencies – agencies that might value her ever-improving skills.

But now Lockwood needs her help.

Penelope Fittes, leader of the well-renowned Fittes Agency wants Lockwood & Co. – and only them – to locate and remove the ‘Source’ for the legendary Brixton Cannibal.

It’s a tough assignment. Made worse by the tensions between Lucy and the other agents – even the skull is treating her like a jilted lover!

What will it take to reunite the team? Black marketeers, an informant ghost, a Spirit Cape that transports the wearer, and mysteries involving their closest rivals may just do the trick.

Peter Bunzl - Cogheart - Published by Usborne Publishing Ltd (1 Sept. 2016) - (see book review here)

When 13-year-old Lily's inventor father vanishes after a Zeppelin crash, Lily's determined to hunt down the truth behind his disappearance, helped by Robert, the local clockmaker's son, and her wily mechanical fox Malkin. But shadowy figures are closing in and treachery lurks among the smoky spires of London - along with a life-changing secret.

Be swept away by airships and flabbergasted by dastardly plots in this extraordinary and wildly imaginative debut, bursting with invention and adventure.

But not all is at it seems. And it’s not long before a shocking revelation rocks Lockwood & Co. to its very core . . . 

Philip Reeve & Sarah McIntyre - Jinks & O'Hare Funfair Repair - Published by OUP Oxford (1 Sept. 2016)

The highly-anticipated fourth scintillating adventure from the amazingly talented team of Reeve and McIntyre. 
Emily loves living on Funfair Moon - especially when she gets to help Jinks & O'Hare, the extraordinary repair team. But when chaos strikes during a crucial funfair inspection, Emily has to act fast. Can she deal with a violent fudgesplosion, a gravity inversion, and a marauding candyfloss creature? Or does this spell doom for Funfair Moon? From the dynamic team who brought you Oliver and the Seawigs, Cakes in Space, and Pugs of the Frozen North comes this rip-roaring rollercoaster of adventure. A visual feast with stunning two-colour illustration on every page.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Interview with Susan Williams Beckhorn - The Wolf's Boy (Disney-Hyperion)

I'm really pleased to be sharing with you the following interview with Susan Williams Beckhorn, author and illustrator of some amazing children's books. The Wolf's Boy is her latest book which was published in June 2016 by Disney-Hyperion in the US. To find out more about this cracking read, click on the following book review link from School Library Journal. I hope this inspires you to pick up The Wolf's Boy and have a read... 

1.Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I grew up near Boston, Massachusetts as the youngest of four in a pretty average white family. Sadly, I did not have a cruel stepmother, nor was I dressed in rags or beaten. I did however have books, which I read walking to school, under the lid of my desk during math class, brushing my teeth, and of course, under the covers by the light of my electric blanket control after the flashlight was taken away. I like to tell kids that a dreadful thing will happen if you read too much: you will become a writer. It’s sort of like inhaling and exhaling. 

After art school, I married my sweetheart, Fred, and we became hippie-back-to-the landers here in western New York. We built our own stone house, which we still live in 36 years later, and raised two very entertaining daughters, Fern and Spring. At the moment we have two dogs, two cats, two horses, and one rooster—the only survivor of a recent raccoon massacre. We grow most of our own vegetables. Fred farms and builds furniture. I manage our AirBnB rental cabin, and write. He does wood, I do words.

2. How would you describe your latest book "The Wolf's Boy" to potential new readers?

I like to say that THE WOLF’S BOY is a story that’s been waiting 20,000 years to be told. It’s about a friendship that changed history: the bond between man and dog. After writing WIND RIDER (Harper Collins 2006), a “first horse” story which takes place 6000 years ago in what is now Kazakhstan, I decided that I wanted to do a “first dog” story. During the research phase, I contacted Mark Derr, author of HOW THE DOG BECAME THE DOG, to ask where I should set my story. He answered, “The first domestication of the dog could have taken place in China, or the Middle East, or perhaps southern France—where they found the fossilized footprints of a boy and a canine, apparently walking side by side in Chauvet Cave.” Chills ran up my spine. My story of an outcast boy and a young wolf against an Ice Age winter grew out of that chance remark.

Chauvet Cave was discovered in 1994, but never opened to the public so as not to repeat the disaster of Lascaux. As a relatively unknown children’s writer, I knew I would not be allowed inside Chauvet. Instead, I got a copy of the breath-taking book, THE DAWN OF ART which was put together by the discoverers of the cave and Werner Hertzog’s film, CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS, both of which document what are thought to be the oldest paintings in the world. Then in April of 2013, my husband and I travelled to Europe. We visited the Neanderthal Museum in Germany where I gleaned ideas for my character, Oooni. We went to the Dordogne valley where we were able to enter several caves still open to the public, view Crow Magnon art and know the mysterious aura of these sacred places. And we climbed to the opening of Chauvet, gazed at the beautiful Ardeche River Gorge with its awe-inspiring stone arch, and felt what it must have been like in Kai’s time. 

3. Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

Even though the story is prehistory, many things in it come from my own life. As one can see on the dedication page, I’ve shared my life with a lot of dogs. I think right away of the scene where Uff comes to Kai in the blackness of the cave and he doesn’t know at first if it is she or the bear. One moonless night, as a young adult, I was walking a trail in the woods in New Hampshire, trying to prove to myself that I wasn’t afraid of the dark. Suddenly I heard a big animal running toward me. There was a moment of fear until I knew in my heart that my German Shepherd, Jessica, had come after me. I put out my hand in the blackness and felt her wet nose and greeting tongue.

And the opening scene, when Kai is pinned by his brother, who threatens to spit on him by letting a string of saliva hang from his mouth—well let’s just say I had two old brothers. I can’t remember now which one was guilty. 

4. Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?

I have to say that I got so deeply into Kai and Uff’s story that I almost began to feel that it was true. It is true in many ways.

5. If you could cast your characters in the Hollywood film adaptation of your book, who would play your characters?

Kai should be played by a young Leonardo DiCaprio. Uff might have been played by my second German Shepherd, Genny, if she’d had a more golden coat and been a bit wolfier looking.

6. Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?

I have written a sequel to WIND RIDER, but because the Laura Geringer imprint closed at Harper Collins before I finished it, it’s never been published. I love the story. It’s really more of a second generation companion piece, a clash of cultural/religious views that parallels what goes on so sadly in the world today, and a sweet little romance to boot. I still have hopes for it!

7. Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?

Aside from Jesus and Ghandi (whose October 2nd. birthday I have always felt honoured to share), I’d really love to have been able to meet and spend time with Mark Twain. I am awed by his humor, his humanity, and his genius. Oh jeepers, now I need to read him some more!

8. What are your thoughts about how to encourage more children to read?

Turn off the electronics and read to them. A lot. As long as they will let you—into adulthood if possible! Play audiobooks in the car. Always read the book before the film. Be seen reading by your child.

9. Where did your love of books/storytelling/reading/writing/etc. come from?

My parents read to us at bedtime, in the car, at camp where we had no TV. My brothers both had dyslexia, so my mother read a lot of their summer reading list books to them—which was not a bad thing at all. I listened. My oldest brother, Ted Williams, who is an environmental journalist (Audubon, Fly Rod and Reel, etc.), sometimes told my sister and me stories during our naptime on the porch at the camp in New Hampshire. That was magical. No spitting involved!

10. What project are you working on now?

At the moment I’m in the research phase of a new MG novel. I don’t like to talk about stories very much until I have something written, but sometime in prehistory there will be a dog and a girl in a canoe in the Caribbean. . .          

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Teens/Children's Book Picks US Published August 2016 - Post One

Kelly Barnhill - The Girl Who Drank the Moon - Published by Algonquin Young Readers (August 9, 2016)

Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the Forest, Xan, is kind. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues the children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey.

One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. As Luna’s thirteenth birthday approaches, her magic begins to emerge--with dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Deadly birds with uncertain intentions flock nearby. A volcano, quiet for centuries, rumbles just beneath the earth’s surface. And the woman with the Tiger’s heart is on the prowl . . .

The author of the highly acclaimed, award-winning novel The Witch’s Boy has written an epic coming-of-age fairy tale destined to be a modern classic.

Wendy Mass - The Candymakers and the Great Chocolate Chase -  Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (August 2, 2016)

The highly-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Candymakers by beloved author Wendy Mass

It has been a few months since the nationwide New Candy Contest, and Logan, Miles, Philip, and Daisy have returned to their regular lives. But when the winning candy bar comes down the conveyor belt at the Life is Sweet candy factory, Logan realizes something's very wrong....

When the Candymaker announces that they will be going on tour to introduce the new candy bar, the four friends see this as an opportunity to make things right. But with a fifty-year-old secret revealed and stakes higher for each of them than they ever imagined, they will have to trust one another--and themselves--in order to face what lies ahead. 

In this action-packed sequel to the bestselling novel The Candymakers, prepare to embark on a journey full of hidden treasures, secret worlds, and candy.

LOTS and LOTS of candy.

Christina Diaz Gonzalez - Moving Target - Published by Scholastic Press August 30, 2016)

Cassie Arroyo, an American studying in Rome, has her world ripped apart when someone tries to kill her father, an art history professor at an Italian university. Is she their next target?

Cassie sets out to uncover what is happening, only to learn that she is a member of an ancient bloodline that enables her to use the Spear of Destiny--a legendary object that can shape the future. Now running from a secret organization intent on killing those from her bloodline, Cassie must--with the help of some friends--decipher the clues that will lead her to the Spear. Her life--and the fate of the world--depends on it.

Christina Diaz Gonzalez has created a fast-paced thrill-ride of a book, rich with riddles and myth, that young readers will not be able to put down.

Kate Milford (Author), Eliza Wheeler (Illustrator) - The Left-Handed Fate - Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (August 23, 2016)

Return to Nagspeake for a new fantasy adventure from the bestselling author of National Book Award nominee Greenglass House.

Lucy Bluecrowne and Maxwell Ault are on a mission: find the three pieces of a strange and arcane engine they believe can stop the endless war raging between their home country of England and Napoleon Bonaparte’s France. During the search, however, their ship, the famous privateer the Left-Handed Fate, is taken by the Americans, who have just declared war on England, too. The Fate (and with it, Lucy and Max) is put under the command of new midshipman Oliver Dexter . . . who’s only just turned twelve.

But Lucy and Max aren’t the only ones trying to assemble the engine; the French are after it, as well as the crew of a mysterious vessel that seems able to appear out of thin air. When Oliver discovers what his prisoners are really up to―and how dangerous the device could be if it falls into the wrong hands―he is faced with a choice: Help Lucy and Max even if it makes him a traitor to his own country? Or follow orders and risk endangering countless lives, including those of the enemies who have somehow become his friends?

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Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Steve Cole (Author) Jim Filed (Illustrator) Invisible Inc. (Magic Ink 4) - Book Review

Noah’s mum’s new invention can zap ANYTHING into a ghost of its former self. It’s still there, but you can’t see it. You can’t touch it.

When the sinister ‘Seerblight Solutions’ steal her invention, Noah is zapped – and finds he’s not the first to have been turned ‘invisible’ through the ages. With all humankind in terrible danger, Earth’s last line is defence is one you’ve never seen or heard of: Invisible Inc.

A medieval knight. A Victorian inventor. A poetic pony. And an ordinary boy. Saving the world? THEY’LL SEE TO IT!

Step Away From The Television, flip over the book cover and turn the pages of a hilarious read from the bestselling author, Steve Cole. He has written some of the best inventive reads and delighted large audiences with cracking, ingenious worlds such as Astrosaurs and Magic Ink as well as his older series the Young Bond books.

This is another brilliant book which has been illustrated by the talented Jim Field. The black and white images enhance the craziness by giving an atmospheric and fiendish feel creating a world of mayhem and chaos. Every page that you turn will make you giggle like a new born baby. Be warned though as the book is full of advice that you should ignore and definitely not follow! 

You will find yourself running a monster battling gauntlet with the main character Noah Deer, an ordinary boy, who needs to save the world against the force of Seerblight. This character is a dangerous 1000-year old bad guy, who is accompanied by his unpleasant sidekick, Mr Butt. Fortunately, Noah has backup in the form of the singing medieval knight, Sir Guy de Yupp, who has a knack of bursting both into trouble and tuneless yelling. 
Here is a ditty from Sir Guy: 

"I asked my mama what will I be 
When I am five times taller than your knee. 
BE A HERO! said she.  
SMITE YOUR ENEMY!
With A SWORD AND MACE,
YOU CAN SMASH HIM
IN THE FACE!
OHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

Also within this inventive escapade, you will meet the inventor, Trudi Deer, a teacher and a scientist who is always working on amazing projects. She is a lover of baked beans or perhaps not! You will also be enchanted by Maloney the Phony the poetic pony and Lady Jemima Smyth who will pull the strings. She has retired from Invisible inc, as a battler of ninjas and is the fire power against some hypnotising chickens. 

You will really be engrossed in this frantic explosion of action and adventure. It is a cracking book to pluck off the shelves for the younger reader, especially reluctant boys. The humour and the jokes come thick and fast; they hit the mark for all ages and genders. Throughout this fantastic story, you won't be able to stop yourself from reading this book out aloud with funny accents as you snort with laughter at the ensuing wizardry madness. 

This is another outstanding performance from Steve Cole that will provide a smile on your face and lead you into a wold of pure escapism. It is a fantastic choice for a family read and thoroughly recommended. 

HarperCollins Children's Books: BIG NEW BOOK DEAL FOR DAVID BADDIEL ANNOUNCED

HarperCollins Children’s Books, home of the blockbuster fiction brands, looks to the long-term with new multi-book deal for David Baddiel publishing to 2019.

With their proven track record of publishing the biggest names in the children’s market, Children’s Publisher of the Year HarperCollins Children’s Books is delighted to announce the acquisition of a new multi-book deal with David Baddielthe author, screenwriter, stand-up comedian, and now bestselling children’s author. The first under the new deal, AniMalcolm, will publish on the 29^th September 2016, with simultaneous e-book and audiobook launches.  The audiobook will be read by David himself.  

World Rights were acquired by Ann-Janine Murtagh, Executive Publisher at HarperCollins Children’s books, from Georgia Garrett at RCW. Roald Dahl Funny Prize-winning illustrator, Jim Field, will continue to illustrate the books, having worked on both of David’s previous titles.

Supported by a global publishing vision and long-term growth strategy, David has celebrated unprecedented commercial and critical success since he debuted into the world of children’s literature in 2014. 

Combined sell-through across all formats for his two novels, The Parent Agency & The Person Controller stands at over 220,000 copies in the UK. Including sales of his World Book Day £1 story The Boy Who Could Do What He Liked, David’s books have now reached over 300,000 readers in the UK alone*. On the global stage, translation rights have been secured across 21 international territories and Fox 2000 recently announced it had acquired film rights to The Parent Agency in a major deal.

Described by the Guardian as, “Funny, sometimes moving, always engaging”, The Parent Agency was the biggest hardback middle grade debut of 2014 and won the inaugural LOLLIES Award for favourite laugh-out-loud book in the 9 – 13 category in June 2016.

Hardback sales of the follow-up title, The Person Controller (published Oct 15), surpassed those of its predecessor by more than 33%. The recently published paperback version has sold a staggering 47,000 copies through TCM since March* – a standout performance in the children’s fiction market.

Delighting readers with his high concept, wish-fulfilment adventures, David has captured the imaginations of children and garnered the power of the playground buzz. This is set to continue with David’s next novel AniMalcolm, the story of a boy who really doesn’t wish for what happens to him.  A cinematic adventure with all the laugh-out-loud humour and real heart of David’s brilliant storytelling, this is the tale of Malcolm, a boy whose upbringing in a pet-mad family has somewhat turned him off animals… which is why it’s so challenging when a magic goat transforms him into a series of them.  

“David Baddiel has taken the children's book world by storm! He combines his incredible literary talent with audacious and original storytelling for kids which together with his high octane humour have made his books a massive hit with his growing band of young Baddiel fans”, commented Executive Publisher, Ann-Janine Murtagh. “His latest novel is a testament to that - a hugely imaginative adventure with a Home Alone meets Animal Farm twist! We are truly delighted to have signed David for three more books which sets us up for brilliant publishing in the years ahead and is destined to make David Baddiel a major children's author brand in the future.”