Exciting September reads for kids

Spring is here. I’m excited. Are you excited?

It is exciting. The sun is shining, the birds are singing…well, not right now. As I write this the rain is still drizzling and the world is pretty grey, but it does seem like winter’s time is nearly up and it’ll be safe to venture outside again.

One family was in our Carlton store over the weekend buying books they could read together in the park, which doesn’t sound like the worst way to spend a sunny Sunday. And if you’re of a mind to join them, here’s a round up of some new releases that have got me even more excited than the new spring weather.


TREES AND MORE TREES

If you have a young reader who’s asking questions about the new seasons, Tree: Seasons Come, Seasons Go by Britta Teckentrup is the perfect way to explain things. This gorgeously illustrated picture book follows the life-cycle of a tree through spring, summer, autumn and winter. The ‘peek-through’ cut-outs on each page come alive with different animals as the seasons turn, and the gentle, rhyming story is perfect to read aloud with everybody sprawled around on a picnic blanket.

In Super Happy Magic Forest the Wise Old Oak gathers together five heroes – a faun, a gnome, a unicorn, a fairy and a mushroom called Trevor – and tells them that in order to save the aforementioned Super Happy Magic Forest, they’ll have to venture into the ominous-sounding Goblin Tower. Matty Long’s hilarious picture book will have you in stitches, no matter what age you are. As bookseller Dani Solomon put it: “This is the perfect picture book for budding nerds, or for adult nerds who have children, know of some children or even know of some adults who act like children.” (Read Dani’s full review here.)


A-QUESTING WE WILL GO

Trevor the Mushroom isn’t the only quest-seeker in this month’s roundup, with Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third setting out on his twelfth and final adventure in the How to Train Your Dragon series. How to Fight a Dragon’s Fury sees the arrival of Doomsday, and when the dust has settled in the fight between dragons and humans, only one species will survive. Is humanity forever doomed? If you haven’t discovered this funny, energetic series for eight and ups, you’d better do it now before it’s too late!

Meg and Mog have their own run-in with a dragon in the latest installment of Jan Pienkowski and David Walser’s beloved picture book series. As Meg gets ready for her Halloween party in Meg and the Dragon, disaster strikes and she smashes her teapot. Oh well, nothing a quick magic spell can’t fix, right? Except sometimes magic doesn’t work the way you’d like it to, and Meg and Mog find themselves with a little bit of trouble on their hands.

If you prefer your quests to be more along the lines of King Arthur or Bilbo Baggins, make sure you don’t miss The Letter for the King by Tonke Dragt. Originally published in the Netherlands in 1962, this epic tale has sold more than a million copies the world over. When a mysterious stranger tasks Tiuri with delivering a letter to the Black Knight with the White Shield, he sets off on his quest. Our Malvern Children’s Buyer, Athina Clarke’s glowing review says it all: “Sometimes I encounter a book so completely enthralling I lose all track of time; day becomes night and day again. The Letter for the King is one of those books: a must-read epic adventure for children and adults everywhere.” (Read Athina’s full review here.)


A-MAZE-ING READS

If you’ve ever wanted to literally get lost in a good book, Pierre the Maze Detective is for you. All of Opera City is a maze, and if Pierre and Carmen want to put a stop to the dastardly Mr X, they’re going to have to navigate haunted houses, underground cities and even hot-air balloons. These are mazes like you’ve never seen before and each illustrated spread is a smorgasbord of detail that’ll have readers 8+ poring over the pages for hours. Hawthorn Children’s Buyer Alexa Dretzke says: “My eyeballs nearly popped out and my brain almost exploded.” (Read Alexa’s full review here.)

On second thoughts, maybe read this one with caution.


BAD BEHAVIOUR

My favourite tantrum-throwing rabbit Simon is at it again in I Want Spaghetti!. After refusing to expand his vocabulary in Poo Bum and complaining about the new addition to the family in Stupid Baby, Simon’s decided to become a fussy eater and refuses to eat anything but spaghetti. Stephanie Blake’s bright, colourful illustrations are hugely popular with kids, while sneaking in a couple of lessons about lovely manners.

And speaking of lovely manners, how great are things when we can all learn to get along? Ballet Cat is the star of The Totally Secret Secret. While her best friend Sparkles the pony wants to play checkers and do crafts, all Ballet Cat wants to do is dance. But Sparkles has a secret: she doesn’t really like ballet. What will become of their friendship? This is an excellent start to a new series for readers aged six and up who are transitioning from picture books onto chapter books. Carlton Children’s Buyer Angela Crocombe says: “This story feels similar to an Elephant and Piggie book but with the unique humour and drawings of the effervescent Bob Shea.” (Read Angela’s full review here.)


Holly Harper

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Cover image for Super Happy Magic Forest

Super Happy Magic Forest

Matty Long

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