Our favourite new children's books in July
From geriatric paper route wars to a hilarious family of hyenas, here are our top children’s book picks for July.
(You can find out find our top young adult book picks here.)
2016 READINGS CHILDREN’S BOOK PRIZE WINNER
We’ve just announced the winner of this year’s Readings Children’s Book Prize: Run, Pip, Run by J.C. Jones.
Run, Pip, Run is a heartfelt read about a young girl on the run from the authorities after her foster grandfather is sent to hospital. Jones’ first novel for children wowed our judges with its insight:
‘Her story is wild and adventurous yet written in such a way that always feels believable as the author skilfully and compassionately introduces us to a complex and sometimes confronting world many of us will never know.’
Read the rest of our judges’ report here.
Run, Pip, Run is perfect for readers nine and up looking for a book with memorable characters, lots of action, and issues that will get them talking. It’s also a great book to read aloud to a class, or at home with younger readers. We have signed bookplates while stocks last, and if you’d like to find out more about Pip, check out our Q&A with author J.C. Jones.
CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE MONTH
Charlie and the War Against the Grannies by Alan Brough
Fans of Roald Dahl and David Walliams, listen up: here’s one for you.
Charlie Duncan is almost 12, and he wants a paper round more than anything in the world. He didn’t bank on having to fight a war against the grannies, but they were the ones who started it after they sprayed him in the face with chilli sauce.
Now Charlie must enlist the help of his best friends and a cast of colourful characters in order to win against their elderly enemies. But these grannies aren’t going to go quietly – not when they can pinch bricks in half and throw hankies with deadly force.
This hilarious read from the star of Spicks and Specks is perfect for readers eight and up. Our reviewer said, ‘Plenty of funny tangents and gags give this book a very high giggle-per-page rating, especially for those who delight in gross stuff and fart jokes.’
Read the rest of our review here.
TOP JULY PICKS
Kicking Goals with Goodsey & Magic Anita Heiss, Adam Goodes and Michael O'Loughlin – Footballers Adam Goodes and Michael O’Loughlin talk about friendship, growing up and being AFL legends. 8+
The Curiositree: Natural World by A.J. Wood, Mike Jolley and Owen Davey – Graphic design meets botanical illustration in this exquisite compendium of plants, animals, and the interconnectedness of the natural world. 7+
Wild Animals of the North by Dieter Braun – This collection of facts about animals such as polar bears, wolves and pumas is a work of art that will appeal to both collectors and information-oriented children. 8+
The Journey by Francesca Sanna – A picture book of a family fleeing their home and finding refuge in a new country that our reviewer called, ‘beautiful and heartbreaking and hopeful, all wrapped up in one’. 3+
Bolds to the Rescue by Julian Clary – Our favourite family of hyenas are back again, and this time they’re rescuing stray animals in a new hilarious adventure. 7+
The Other Christy by Oliver Phommavanh – Newly arrived from Cambodia, Christy struggles to deal with a classmate’s mean-girl antics. 9+
CLASSIC OF THE MONTH
This month’s classic pick is Joan Aiken’s The Serial Garden: The Complete Armitage Family Stories. This is a collection of stories about Mark and Harriet who have adventures with pet unicorns, ghost houseguests and enchanted gardens.
This collection contains stories from throughout Aiken’s long writing career, and while the stories are linked they can be read in any order. This is the perfect book to read as a family, and it’ll delight children and adults alike.
It comes highly recommended by our reviewer:
‘This book, which begins with stories written in the 1950s and finishes with posthumous additions from 2008, reads freshly and lightly and promises many happy Monday daydreams. I loved this book!’
Read the rest of our review here.
