JANUARY AND FEBRUARY BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

Spending more time inside at the start of the year means you might have more time to spend reading some of these excellent books! Luckily, there are quite a few new books being released in January and February. If you like the sound of any of them, maybe you can call up your local bookshop and order a few to support authors and artists during these challenging times!

New children's books JANUARY AND FEBRUARY 2021

LOVE MAKES A FAMILY – 7TH JANUARY

‘Love is baking a special cake. Love is lending a helping hand. Love is reading one more book.’
This beautifully illustrated board book shows lots of different types of families living their daily lives, whether a child has two mums, two dads, one parent, or one of each, the representation in this book could be a great starting point for many important conversations with young children.
At the heart of this book is a belief that the most important thing in family, no matter what form it takes, is the love they share for one another.

LEO AND THE OCTOPUS – 7TH JANUARY

‘The world was too bright for Leo. And too loud. “I must be living on the wrong planet,” Leo thought.’
Leo is struggling to find his place in the world, and no one else seems to understand him. But one day Leo meets Maya, an octopus, and the more Leo learns about Maya, the more he realises he might not be so alone after all!
This is a sensitive and thoughtful story about a young boy with Autism trying to find his place in the world around him.

AGENT ASHA: MISSION SHARK BYTES – 7TH JANUARY

‘Asha Joshi has the perfect excuse not to finish her homework. She’s just been recruited to join the top-secret Children’s Spy Agency. Her first mission: SAVE THE WORLD.’
Asha is an avid coder, and along with her friends Tumble and Drone she’s ready to help save the world from an evil tech company!
What we love most about this book is how readers can get involved with Tech and STEM projects after reading, there are links to follow and puzzles to solve throughout the book.

Darwin’s Dragons – 7th January

‘Syms Covington has landed the job of a lifetime – cabin boy and fiddler on Charles Darwin’s ‘Beagle’. But when he is separated from the crew during a storm, his life takes a truly extraordinary turn.’
When Syms ends up shipwrecked on the Galapagos Islands, he makes a discovery that will change his life, and the world, forever. Does he share his discovery with the world and become rich beyond his wildest dreams? Or should he leave them be, as showing the world will surely lead to the extinction of a legendary species… There’s only one person on the whole island who could help him make such a decision, and he’s too busy writing a book…

Busy Storytime – 21st January

‘Push, pull and slide the tabs as you enjoy Busy Storytime! Pick a book to read, act it out and sail away on an adventure, then share the story with your friends.’ This is the perfect introduction to what could be a lifelong love of reading for little ones! There’s lots to discover and to keep you interested in this vibrant board book, and it’s an excellent pick for World Book Day! (4th March 2021)

Amari and the night brothers – 21st january

‘Amari Peters knows three things. Her big brother Quinton has gone missing. No one will talk about it. His mysterious job holds the secret… So when Amari gets an invitation to the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she’s certain this is her chance to find Quinton. But first she has to get her head around the world of the Bureau, where mermaids, aliens and magicians are real, and her roommate is a weredragon.’ To prove that she belongs in this world, and to stand a chance at finding her brother, Amari must compete against children who’ve known about the world of the Bureau all their lives. It’s not going to be easy, but if she doesn’t pass the three trials ahead of her she may never discover what really happened to Quinton.

genie and teeny make a wish – 4th february

‘Meet Grant the Genie, and his best friend, Teeny! Whe Grant the Genie is cast out of Genie World, he lands on Earth with a big, fat bump! Without a lamp to call home, he has to settle for an old cracked teapot instead.’ Genie is feeling very lonely until he meets the puppy, Teeny. But then both of them are kidnapped by the evil Lavinia Lavender, and they find themselves on a whirlwind adventure when all they really want is a place to call home!

storm – 4th february

‘Frankie’s parents were not prepared for her birth: they had a blanket and an easel and some paint, but not anything useful, like a car or a phone. So it’s no wonder Frankie has always had a temper. She was born on a BEACH, in a STORM. What Frankie was not prepared for was dying in a freak natural disaster that wiped out her whole town.’ Frankie is about to discover that there are things more important than herself, and that anger does sometimes have its uses. Because when you have a storm inside of you – sometimes the only thing to do is let it out…

Enchanter’s Child – 4th february

‘Alex has a set of Enchanted cards. When she flutters her fingers about them, something magical happens: the cards come alice and create moving pictures of what is now and what is yet to come. But Enchantment is illegal in the city of Luma, and those who practice it are imprisoned forever in the Vaults – dark dungeons deep below the city…’ This is the first book in an exciting new series from Angie Sage, author of the Septimus Heap series, full of enchantment and thrilling adventures!