I have read lots of children’s books that recount events from the Second World War, all of them detailing the war that was fought on land. Arctic Star switches the attention to the sea, the naval men and their incredible wartime efforts.

1943. Best friends Frank, Stephen and Joseph are excited to have joined the Royal Navy and are aboard the HMS Forgetmenot as part of the Arctic Convoys that are delivering much needed wartime supplies to Russia.

Seas are treacherous, unforgiving and danger is never far away. A tragic end to the mission leaves Frank re-evaluating his commitment to the Navy and whilst on shore leave he is ready to turn his back on everything. But the navy needs him, another mission across the Arctic waters awaits. But will Frank have the courage to embark on another life-threatening journey…

Join a young girl on a hugely impressive scientific journey as she explores the very very small.

Nano: The Spectacular Science of the Very (Very) Small is a brilliant exploration of how nanotechnology is changing the world and how it can make the world a better place for everyone. Bursting with cutting edge science, children are in very capable hands as renowned scientist and champion of equality, Dr. Jess Wade, expertly takes readers on a mind-blowing journey that unlocks the science of the very very small.

Claire Saxby and Jess Racklyeft whisk readers away to the continent of Antarctica in a beautiful and mesmerising read. I will call it early and say that this will be one of the best picture books that I read in 2021.

The Aurora Australis flit across the night sky, the last signs of an Antarctic winter. Spring time, the time of birth and new life. And born from a glacier, something most beautiful…an iceberg. Wildlife begins to stir and awaken. Penguins march, birds swoop, the oceans are alive with krill, fish, orcas, whales, squid and seals. And witnessing it all, the iceberg which is rocked and pushed by the Antarctic winds. As seasons come and go, so does the wildlife. Cooler weather and darker skies signal the time to move, Antarctica slips into a winter slumber of endless nights until the arrival of a new spring. One iceberg is losing its battle to live, slowly succumbing to the ocean but another one is just about to be born. And so the lifecycle of an iceberg repeats…

I love Lisa Thompson’s heartfelt writing and so I was unbelievably excited to receive an early proof copy of her latest read for which she has partnered once again with the brilliant Barrington Stoke. Taking inspiration from a real encounter with a robot on a school visit, Thompson delivers a wonderful story of friendship, of groundbreaking technology and of learning to appreciate ‘the small things’ in life.

Anna is a bit different to the other girls in her class at school. She does not have the busy life that they do. Whilst her friends are busy attending after-school clubs and learning how to dance, play musical instruments, speak other languages and ride horses, she and her brother often find themselves at the supermarket searching out bargains in the reduced section.

I love a good historical read and before I began reading this I had high expectations that David Long - whose previous books I have loved - would deliver another superb read, I am pleased to say he did not disappoint. 

10th April 1912. And after five years of planning and construction, Titanic - the biggest and most luxurious cruise liner in the world - was ready to set sail across the Atlantic Ocean from Southampton, England to New York, USA. Little did anyone know at the time that the journey would never be completed and Titanic would be remembered not as a triumph but as a terrible, terrible tragedy…

Digger and Me is the debut read from Ros Roberts for middle-grade children and is inspired by her own experience of losing her ‘beautiful Bernese mountain dog’.

Eleven-year-old James has a lot going on in his life. Everything is changing and it is very much not for the best. His parents are separated, there are new partners to navigate and if he’s completely honest he doesn’t particularly like either of them. At school, the class are having a new teacher for the third time this year just weeks before the end of term and high school is looming.

The one constant in his life is his loveable dog Digger. But when James finds a lump on Digger’s leg his world is turned upside down and he will need all members of his family, new and old, to help put things right…

Exploding with humour and very BIG FEELINGS, the relatable Scarlett Fife will quickly become a firm friend of readers of 7+.

Scarlett Fife has some very BIG FEELINGS, so big in fact that they sometimes just explode out of her. After an untimely incident at her aunt’s engagement party, she must suffer the consequences of ‘Mumishments’ and the threat of not being taken to Super Mega Awesome Sticky Fun World to ride the Guts-a-Churno coaster. But the more Scarlett tries to keep the anger in, the more it wants to come out…in the most explosive of ways. Can Scarlett take control of her feelings…

Flamingo fabulousness is plentiful in this delightful read that celebrates friendship and the importance of being who you are.

I love the Armadillo and Hare books that tell the stories of two companions and their friends. The books have all of the warmth and charm of the Frog and Toad adventures by Arnold Lobel. Two friends spending time together, enjoying their days and learning valuable and meaningful lessons about life.

Although they are not at all alike and have very little in common, Armadillo and Hare are the best of friends. Armadillo enjoys sitting around in his chair, wearing his dressing gown inside out and eating cheese and tomato jam sandwiches. Hare is full of energy, plays the tuba, enjoys working out and always looks rather dapper.

Can you put a price on a life? Is one life worth more than another? Should one life be saved over another? Is it even possible to choose which animals and people are worth saving? And if it is, should we really be interfering in the life cycle? So many big, philosophical questions, so many choices to be made. Kirsty Applebaum’s third book is utterly compelling from first page to last.

Ever since he was born, twelve-year-old Lonny Quicke has been shielded from the dangers of the outside world, hidden away in a forest away from the people of Farstoke. The reason, Lonny is a lifeling - a unique individual with the power to bring back life to living things that are on the brink of death. But every life saved comes at a price. Using his power to save a life shortens his own life; sometimes by minutes, sometimes by days, sometimes by weeks, sometimes by years.