14 of the best new books for kids by some of our favourite authors
2022 has been another bumper year for new kids’ books and some of Parrot Street’s favourite authors have been especially busy. If you’ve been following us for a while, you will know that we are huge champions of new authors and series, and brilliant books that are flying under the radar. The books and authors we select for our subscription boxes all have a very special place in our hearts and it gives us enormous pleasure to see those authors enjoying more and more success. All the books listed below were published in 2022 and are authored by writers we’ve included in our boxes over the last five years. So, if you’re a Parrot Street subscriber looking to boost your library this Christmas or simply a children’s book fan looking for the best new books by the finest children’s authors, here’s our guide to some of the books you won’t want to miss:
For 5+
The Worries: Shara and the Really Big Sleepover by Jion Sheibani
We sent the first volume in this beautifully illustrated series to our Parakeet subscribers in November last year. Jion Sheibani has since followed up with two further books in the series, the latest of which is Shara and the Really Big Sleepover, in which Shara is anxious about staying away from home for the first time. These fun and gentle books are perfect for reading together.
The Treasure Under the Jam Factory by Chrissie Sains
Our Parakeet subscribers started the year with An Alien in the Jam Factory, which sold out from our collection almost instantly! Scooter and his best friend Fizzbee the alien are back in this sequel with yet more brilliant inventions and more trouble from dastardly Daffy Dodgy and her guinea pig side-kick Boris…
Noodle the Doodle Wins the Day by Jonathan Meres
Noodle is back and it’s Sports Day at Wigley Primary – what could possibly go wrong?! Our favourite friendly canine is desperate to join in the fun and inevitably things get a little bit out of control – can Noodle save the day? The first Noodle the Doodle book was hugely popular with our subscribers in 2021 and we’ve no doubt this volume will be too!
There’s a Dog in My Brain: Dog Show Disaster by Caroline Green
More canine capers with Dudley and Danny, who were a huge hit with our Parakeet subscribers earlier this year. In this sequel to There’s a Dog in My Brain, boy and dog swap bodies again and face up to ruthless dog trainer Rex at the local dog show in another hilarious adventure (this time with even more cake).
Too Small Tola Gets Tough by Atinuke
Too Small Tola was a huge hit with our Parakeet subscribers back in 2020. In another instalment of tales from Lagos, Atinuke applies her trademark gentle humour and empathy to Tola’s experience of lockdown during the pandemic. Perfect for reading together as a family, we are delighted to be back with one of our favourite ever characters!
For 8+
The Underpants of Chaos by Sam Copeland and Jenny Pearson
Charlie Changes into a Chicken author Sam Copeland teams up with fellow funny writer Jenny Pearson (The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates) in a brand-new laugh-out-loud series starring a pair of spy-detectives determined to find out the truth about the very strange goings on at their primary school.
The Accidental Stowaway by Judith Eagle
We were thrilled for author Judith Eagle when The Accidental Stowaway was selected as Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month in September. The author of The Pear Affair, which we sent our Cockatoo subscribers in 2021, is one of our favourite kids’ authors and one of the most underrated – up until now! The Accidental Stowaway is another classic historical adventure story perfect for fans of Emma Carroll and Ross Montgomery.
Fake by Ele Fountain
Ele Fountain is fast making a name for herself as the author of gripping middle grade adventure stories with hugely relatable characters and important messages about the world around us. We are huge fans of all her books, including Lost which we sent to our Cockatoo subscribers in February 2021. In Fake she turns her attentions to the digital world with a gripping cyber thriller that had us on the edge of our seats.
The Good Turn by Sharna Jackson
Sharna Jackson’s debut High Rise Mystery remains one of our most popular Cockatoo reads ever. In The Good Turn she brings her trademark wit to a brand-new mystery adventure with a strong sense of community and social activism, along with more hugely relatable characters that we are confident young readers will love. Sharna’s books are inclusive, original and a joy to read.
Dead Good Detectives by Jenny McLachlan
We absolutely loved Jenny McLachlan’s Land of Roar series, the first book of which we sent our Cockatoo subscribers back in 2019, so we were thrilled to discover she has authored a brand-new spooky adventure with a strong dose of humour. Dead Good Detectives is packed with magic, pirates and disgruntled ghosts – and time is running out to save them!
The Boy Whose Wishes Came True by Helen Rutter
No sooner had we selected The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh for our Cockatoo boxes in March 2021 than Waterstones chose it as their Children’s Book of the Month – and rightly so! It was one of the best debuts we’d read in a long time and we are delighted that author Helen Rutter has followed up with a second hilarious and heart-warming book. The Boy Whose Wishes Came True stars Archie Crumb, a boy facing tough challenges at home and at school – but does his favourite footballer hold the key to changing his life?
For 12+
While the Storm Rages by Phil Earle
Phil Earle, author of the bestselling and award-winning When the Sky Falls, which was a huge hit with our Macaw subscribers last year, returns with another poignant historical novel set in the early days of the Second World War. Anyone who was moved by the extraordinary friendship between Joseph and gorilla Adonis in When the Sky Falls will find affinity with Noah and his beloved family dog.
Once Upon a Fever by Angharad Walker
We loved Angharad Walker’s The Ash House, which she follows with this richly imaginative and original YA novel. In a gothic fantasy world struck down by a mysterious illness, two sisters find themselves outside the hospital they have called home for the first time in a bid to uncover some dark secrets.
The Last Whale by Chris Vick
Last year we sent out Macaw subscribers Girl. Boy. Sea by Chris Vick, a moving adventure story packed with empathy. Vick’s newest book offers more of the same action-packed adventure combined with a fiercely emotional and important message about climate change set in the present and future worlds.
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