Recommended Reads
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The Pig Who Wanted to Fly
Join Pig, on a delightful adventure in The Pig Who Wanted to Fly, a heartwarming picture book. Pig dreams of soaring through the sky like her friend Dove and, with a touch of humour, Dove sets out to make her wish come true. But Pig’s dreams come with a price as she disregards the safety advice of her wise friend, Dove.
With feathers made of sheer determination and a heart full of curiosity, Pig embarks on her daring adventure. However, the enchanting tale of The Pig Who Wanted to Fly serves as a gentle reminder that dreams must be pursued with caution and wisdom. As Pig takes a tumble from the clouds, she discovers that the true magic lies in listening to the advice of friends who care about her safety.
This delightful educational story teaches valuable lessons about the importance of both dreams and friendship and how they can intertwine in the most unexpected ways.
£8.99 -
A Mouse in the House with a Man Called Dan and a Gent Called Kent
Imagine… a mouse! Not just any mouse, but a clever, resourceful, imaginative mouse!
In fact, he might just be the cleverest mouse you will ever read about!
Wouldn’t that be something?
It certainly would, right?
Where to start? I guess the beginning is as good a place as any, but what can I tell you without spoiling the story for you?
Well, let’s see, he is not a timid mouse, that is for sure.
He is confident, cheeky and playful. If I were a young mouse, I would want to be just like him, wouldn’t you?
Oh, and his name… well, he is Bertie Bee, of course!
Joe Southall’s second book is the perfect follow-up to Rex, the Much Misunderstood Lion, with a lovely pace and a twist at the end that will make you smile, no matter how many times you read it.
£8.99 -
Discovering Aotearoa
New Zealand, or Aotearoa as the locals refer to it, is a truly remarkable country. Its landscapes range from breathtakingly beautiful, verdant vistas to areas covered in volcanic lava, as much of the country was shaped by volcanic eruptions.
Exploring New Zealand is a delight, as it offers an array of short and long hikes and opportunities to venture around on a bike, motorbike, or car. The country has a well-organized public transport system that allows you to effortlessly travel from one end to another using buses, trains, or planes.
One of New Zealand’s renowned highlights is the rich traditions of its indigenous Maori people. They take immense pride in sharing their customs through delightful cuisine, captivating dances, and the temples where they honour their ancestors. The country is also famous for its fascinating geothermal phenomena, where bubbling geysers, boiling basins, hot lakes, and warm rivers add intrigue to its already stunning landscapes.
What makes New Zealand even more special is its inhabitants’ genuine friendliness and helpfulness, both Maori and non-Maori (referred to as Kiwis). You’ll always feel welcome as the locals go out of their way to assist and make you feel at ease. This warm hospitality is evident in various aspects, including traffic, where pedestrians always have the right of way, and dining establishments, where you’ll always be greeted with a friendly smile and top-notch service.
£24.99 -
That London Garden
Welcome to a magical suburban London garden, where extraordinary adventures unfold in the most ordinary of places!
Meet Arrow, the timid sparrow who dreams of being brave, and her clever sister Carrow, whose quick thinking might just save the day. Join Mrs Blackbird as she strikes up an unlikely friendship with Ginger the cat, and chuckle along with Robin as he ‘studies’ the curious behaviours of humans. From the boisterous starling gang to the philosophical crows, this garden is brimming with colourful characters and their heart-warming tales.
In this delightful collection of interconnected stories, you’ll discover:
– How a team of sparrows outsmarts a fierce sparrowhawk
– The secret ‘graduate studies’ of robins
– The annual hedge-trimming chaos and Uncle Sparrow’s hilarious drills
– A white cat with an uncanny ability to communicate with humansFrom learning to face your fears to finding courage in unexpected places, these charming stories are perfect for young readers who love nature, animals, and a touch of magic in everyday life.
Dive into this enchanting world where leafy hideaways become classrooms, ordinary gardens transform into battlegrounds of wit, and tiny wings carry big dreams. Get ready for a heart-warming adventure that will have you looking at your own backyard with wonder!
£9.99 -
The Deer and the Snake
‘A young deer skipped so freely in a warm sun that shone,
As quick as a flash and the deer was gone.’
This cautionary rhyming story has a heart-breaking reality on show, and teaches an essential life message every child should know. Questions about trust are weaved through The Deer and the Snake, where looks can be deceiving it is easy to make a mistake. The superb illustrations leave no doubt everything is real, where decisions are made, tricks will be played and the repercussions will be far from ideal. In a world where the truth can be hidden and concealed, you must read on and all will be revealed.
£9.99 -
Two Little Girls in Blue
In this captivating family saga set in London from the late Victorian era to the early twentieth century, two sisters and two brothers navigate the complexities of love, family, and fortune. The elder siblings, favoured and spoiled since childhood, find themselves grappling with unhappiness and a secret misfortune that haunts the sisters’ lives, while the overlooked younger pair demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity.
Woven throughout the narrative is the poignant melody of the popular 1897 song, ‘Two Little Girls in Blue,’ whose tragic love story mirrors the events of the novel, with the song’s composer making an appearance. From the bustling family businesses to the atmospheric Horn of Plenty pub in London’s East End, still haunted by the spectre of Jack the Ripper, the novel’s vivid settings come alive, with the pub managed by the author’s own grandparents.
Narrated by the son-nephew of the two couples, the story takes an unexpected turn when, guided by his friend, the renowned H.G. Wells, he unravels the tragedy that has shaped his family members’ lives.
£16.99 -
The In-Between
Tragedies happen every day, but what if the tragedy is your own death?
How far will Savannah go to solve her own murder, and what price will she pay along the way?
Join Savannah on her journey through the spirit world as she seeks the truth about her death and uncovers far more than she ever expected. To cross over, she’ll have to unravel the mysteries surrounding her fate – and face the cost of knowing.
£8.99 -
What's There?
In a strange land threatened by two evil forces, a boy named Spinx finds himself at the centre of an extraordinary adventure. Guided by a lucky stone and his own courage, Spinx is drawn into a world both fascinating and overwhelming. Lor, the humane master of this realm, believes the boy has arrived for a greater purpose.
As Spinx undergoes mysterious changes, he must confront the ambitious treeling Zion, an evil entity known as the Presence, and two mischievous glass birds. Meanwhile, in another part of this vast land, an extraordinary tree named Ikabus sets out on a quest to find the boy, gathering a loyal group of companions with unique magical abilities.
Facing danger, despair, and the constant threat of death, these unlikely heroes must unite in a desperate fight to save their land.
£13.99 -
The Rock Art of Moab, Utah
The image of the desert bighorn sheep everywhere adorns the canyon walls of the American Southwest. Whether painted or pecked onto the rock, these sheep can take on an amazing variety of box-like or streamlined designs. There are, for instance, sheep with heads that have short horns, sweeping rainbow horns, and, sometimes, iconic, curling ram horns. Sheep have legs that are shown with simple extremities, with bent legs as if they are running, with cloven hooves facing front or back, and even sheep with no legs at all. Are the long-gone artists trying to hint at a hidden code, or are the differences simply a preference in artistic style? We will probably never know the full story, but insights are to be had after a thorough inventory of rock art images are catalogued and studied. This is a matter of increased importance as our heritage of petroglyphs and pictographs is being lost to time and vandalism.
£19.99 -
Bella and the Bio-Bot
Embark on an extraordinary adventure with Bella and Dr. Smith.
With vibrant illustrations and a love for science, Bella and the Bio-Bot ignites curiosity about the wonders of nature and the boundless possibilities of technology.
Perfect for budding scientists, inventors, and dreamers alike!
£8.99 -
From Rags with Brains
Learn to deal with honour. Act with courage. And try to act with humility. England, 1968: Sixteen-year-old Scott Measures flees his abusive orphanage with nothing but the clothes on his back and a secret his tormentors never discovered – a brilliant mathematical mind that sees patterns where others see only chaos. Still suffering from his ordeal in the orphanage, Scott soon learns that freedom comes with its own cruelty and injustice. But just when it seems the world is determined to break him, a few acts of kindness offer him hope. Now, armed with his extraordinary gift for numbers and an unbreakable will to survive, Scott begins to turn the tables on a system rigged against him, seeing a way to forge a new identity and change his life for the better.
£9.99 -
The Ginks
Under my bed are a family of ginks.
They’re two feet high and their breath stinks!
Their teeth are THAT long…
Their legs are THAT hairy…
Their eyes are THAT red…
That they look dead scary!
But you don’t need to worry about them – unless you have been naughty.
£7.99
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