This month our Macaw subscribers are heading into the wild waters around Jamaica with Kemosha of the Caribbean, a swashbuckling historical adventure with a gripping storyline and a kickass lead character. Here author Alex Wheatle tells us more about what inspired the book and which historical books for teens and tweens he thinks you should read next.
The second book in our Macaw boxes this month is the wonderfully inventive Oddity by Eli Brown. Here the author tells us more about what inspired the book and it’s brilliant cast of characters, plus which fantasy books with historical backdrops he recommends you read next.
This month our Macaw subscribers are heading into deep water with the mysterious, imaginative and hugely original The Monster Belt by Ruth Estevez. Here we quiz Ruth on what inspired the book, what she learnt about mythical creatures from her research, and which books inspired by myths and legends she would recommend you read next.
Our Cockatoo book for this month is How I Saved the World in a Week by Polly Ho-Yen and it’s just as exciting and dramatic as it sounds. Survival skills, zombies, a mysterious virus, an epic road trip and kids saving the world - this book has it all! We are huge fans of Polly’s books and were delighted to have the chance to ask her more about what inspired Billy’s story.
Our Macaw subscribers faced a tough choice this month between two highly original and thought-provoking books, including the Costa Children's Book Award-shortlisted Maggie Blue and the Dark World. We asked author Anna Goodall to tell us all about what inspired the book and which fantasy books for young readers she would recommend you turn to next.
This month our Parakeet subscribers are setting sail on the high seas on a voyage of deadly doom with Velda, the most awesome Viking you are likely to meet! Here author David MacPhail and illustrator Richard Morgan tell us all about what inspired Velda and which funny books for kids they would recommend you read next.
The book we sent our Cockatoo subscribers this month is an epic science fiction thriller, perfect for gamers and bookworms alike! Read the first chapter of Last Gate of the Emperor and find out more about the Ethiopian lore behind the book in our exclusive download.
This month our Cockatoo subscribers are travelling around the world to India and back in time to 1946 with a book that combines fantasy, adventure and historical drama. Author Tania Unsworth tells us what inspired the book and which historical fiction books she would recommend you read next.
We were thrilled to discover this month’s Cockatoo pick when it landed on our desks a few months ago – it’s the perfect summer holiday read! Set in Finland (and translated from Finnish), Me and the Robbersons takes the reader on a hilarious madcap road trip with a band of robbers and pick ‘n’ mix enthusiasts. Here author Siri Kolu tells us what inspired the book and which other Finnish authors she would recommend we all read next.
For this month’s reading adventure our Parakeet subscribers are heading off to Mauritius with The Great Dodo Comeback, a fun and exciting adventure story for newly independent readers, starring Leni, a kind, confident and hugely likeable heroine. Here we quiz author Fiona Sandiford on what inspired the book and her favourite adventure reads for kids.
We are particularly excited about this month’s Cockatoo book. The Lightning Catcher is a brilliant debut that had us on the edge of our seats. It’s modern and relevant, exciting, magical and beautifully told. We caught up with author Clare Weze to find out more about what inspired the book, it’s unique setting and excellent cast of characters.
Our Cockatoo subscribers are heading off on a mountain adventure this month, where they might just meet a yeti! Bigfoot Mountain is an exciting adventure story with a fearless and compassionate heroine, Minnie. Here we quiz author Roderick O’Grady on what inspired the story and his favourite adventure books for kids.
