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If you’ve got a little bookworm at home then you will probably always be on the lookout for new books. Walker Books has a great selection, released in July.
Picture books
The Tour at School: Because You’re the New Kid! by Katie Clapham (3-7 years)
A student leads a very enthusiastic first-day tour in a comical, reassuring story sure to calm the nerves of kids about to start something new.
When your job is to introduce the new person to your school, the first thing you need to do is sound very excited! Always start with the most important spots, like the echo-ey bathroom and an emergency meet-up place, like the big chestnut tree on the playground. Share your favorite memories of recess, show off the million-book library, and don’t forget to introduce the new kid to someone you know, like Gary the classroom fish. Most important of all, remember how it feels not to know anyone and be lonely and scared—and extend an offer to be a friend. Nadia Shireen’s playful illustrations pair with Katie Clapham’s lively text and funny asides in a book sure to strike a comforting chord for trepidatious readers who may be facing a new adventure.
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Five Little Friends: A Collection of Finger Rhymes by Sean Taylor (3-7 years)
A one-of-a-kind interactive poetry collection from award-winning author Sean Taylor, stunningly illustrated by Fiona Woodcock, filled with happy finger rhymes that each have their own accompanying action. A must have for any child’s library!
Babies love when their parents or caregivers talk to them in a fun, lyrical and bouncy way; science shows that they prefer this above all other sounds. In Five Little Friends, Award-winning poet and picture book author Sean Taylor has written 34 original poems that each come with its own accompanying easy-to-follow directions for actions and movement.
This unique collection offers parents and caregivers simple and joyful ways to sing and play with their little ones as well as encouraging both children AND grown-ups to use their fingers, hands, arms, legs and even feet to become a stomping elephant, falling snow or bursting fireworks!
Held in a big, handsomely sturdy picture book format – just right for sharing – and brought to life by Fiona Woodcock’s fresh and energetic illustrations, this book is sure to help entertain, and engage with, wriggling, rolling babies or busy toddlers. Even MORE than this – finger rhymes are a beautifully simple way to help children develop and work on their fine motor skills while supporting their social and emotional development.
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The Sleeper Train by Mick Jackson (3-7 years)
There is a train which has beds in their own small cabins so that you can sleep while the train rolls through the night. I went on one, not long ago…
Just as it’s starting to get dark, a little girl and her family board the sleeper train – they’ll travel all through the night, and reach their destination in the morning. But as the train rocks from side to side, the little girl can’t sleep. It’s all too exciting! So, instead, she travels through her memory to all the different places she has slept – from her room at home, to a tent in the wild, to Mum’s old room at Grandma and Grandad’s house… But will that help her to drift off?
Gloriously illustrated in rich colours throughout, this captivating bedtime story will take readers on a journey through the vast Indian countryside, and carry them straight on to dreamland.
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Enchanted Beach by Esther Freud (3-7 years)
A lyrical picture book celebrating the changing seasons and living at the seaside with a gentle environmental message by an award-winning author and an exciting new illustration talent.
From summer days spent playing on the beach, to flying kites in autumn, to buffeting winter storms and treasure hunts in spring, this is a magnificent celebration of the seaside throughout the changing year. This joyful story charts family life by the sea and celebrates many milestones such as birthdays and New Years. Esther’s lively poetic and lyrical text combines perfectly with Emma’s classic illustrations to captivate and enchant young readers.
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Middle grade
The Last Pebble by Alex Horne (9-12 years)
From the creator and presenter of Taskmaster comes a beautifully told story of a young boy’s connection with his grandpa – and a mystery that may come between them.
Trader and his grandpa have combed the beach of Bognor Regis for as long as he can remember, and every time they find a beautiful or special stone, it’s added to the treasure collection. But when Trader finds a particularly special pebble, he stumbles on a secret that was supposed to be kept for ever…
Can Trader and his new friend Charlotte unravel the mystery of this treasure, and return it to its rightful home?
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Totally Chaotic History: The Stone Age Runs Wild! By Greg Jenner (8-12 years)
The third book in a fantastically funny new history series from best-selling author and chart-topping podcaster Greg Jenner!
Think history is just a boring list of facts and dates? Think again! History is hectic, exciting and unpredictable – in fact, it’s absolute CHAOS! Join bestselling author Greg Jenner on a riotously fun journey through the Stone Age, from brilliant beginnings to epic ending. Accompanied by expert archaeologist Dr Brenna Hassett and with side-splitting illustrations from Rikin Parekh, Greg’s whirlwind tour will cover everything you need to know about the Stone Age and show you what it would REALLY have been like to live through hundreds of thousands of years of chaotic history. Hold on tight, because, with history, you’ll never believe what happens next!
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Paddock Grove: A Pony to Own by J. P. Rose (9-12 years)
“Welcome to Paddock Grove, a boarding school for the best, providing equestrians of tomorrow with state-of-the-art facilities and world-class tuition in everything from stable management to competitive riding…”
A scholarship to Paddock Grove is a dream come true for George, but when her local riding school shuts down and the horse she hoped to borrow is sold, it seems her dreams are over before they’ve begun – until her parents surprise her with a pony of her own. Unfortunately, that pony is Bear, a scruffy cob with tangles in his mane, feathers around his hooves and a mischievous streak a mile wide. He’s the complete opposite of the well-bred show horses her classmates are riding.
Between George’s new-school nerves and Bear’s naughty tricks, everything goes from bad to worse. If George and Bear can’t learn how to work together, they might lose their place at Paddock Grove for good…
The first of four titles in a brand new pony series set in an elite equestrian boarding school from rising star J. P. Rose.
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Ultimate Rugby Superstars by Matt Oldfield & Maggie Alphonsi (7-12 years)
Here is an exciting collection of biographies of 50 rugby greats for young fans. It is co-written by Matt Oldfield, the author of Ultimate Football Heroes, and Maggie Alphonsi, former England rugby international and now sports commentator. Perfect reading for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2025, here are some of sporting heroes, past and present, it includes: Gareth Edwards, Eben Etzebeth, Jonah Lomu, Ellie Kildunne, Johnny Sexton, Emily Scarratt, Jonny Wilkinson, Brian O’Driscoll, Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Carter, Richie McCaw and Marcus Smith.
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Puppet by David Almond and Lizzy Stewart (9-12 years)
From Hans Christian Andersen Medal-winning author David Almond comes a heartwarming story that shows anything is possible with imagination and trust.
What should a puppet master do when he’s old and alone, and all his puppets are gone? Sylvester makes one last puppet. But this one is different. When the old man speaks to him, Puppet speaks back. And then he walks…
While Sylvester shows Puppet the town, the playground and the wonders the world holds, Puppet in turn helps Sylvester to make a new friend, and share his puppet-making skills with the next generation in this wonder-filled story of creation and the circle of life.
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