A good book is so much more than words and pictures printed on a page – it’s a whole experience, one that the reader can relive again and again. Books really are the gift that keeps on giving. Here’s our guide to some of the best new chapter books for kids aged 8 to 12 that we think should be on everyone’s Christmas shopping list this year.
Author and illustrator John Kelly tells us how he created The Monster Doctor and all about his own favourite books for kids. Packed with quirky illustrations, it's almost like a graphic novel. It's funny, super silly and a little bit gross - what's not to like?
It can be fun to feel a little scared, when snug and safe in the comfort of your own home. You can let your imagination run wild and get lost in a terrifically terrifying story. This is our top pick of spooky and creepy, yet age-appropriate, reads for 8-year-olds and up.
Sharing spooky books is a great way to add to kids’ excitement about upcoming Halloween celebrations. Whether you’re after something charming, funny or chilling, we’ve picked 7 of our favourite chapter books that we think kids aged 5 to 8 will enjoy.
The book we sent our Cockatoo subscribers this month is an exciting adventure story set in the Amazon rainforest that puts kids front and centre, celebrating their bravery, resilience and sense of what is just and fair. We asked author Emma Rea to tell us all about what inspired the book, the incredible cast of characters, and her travels to the Amazon.
We love a good puzzle, so the codebreaking in Mickey and the Animal Spies by Anne Miller went down a treat at Parrot Street HQ. Here Anne tells us all about the book and recommends some of her own favourite detective books for kids.
We are asked all the time for book recommendations for kids who love sport. If your youngsters, like mine, are missing their usual sports clubs, teams and activities during lockdown, why not try quenching their sporty thirst with some of these fiction books for sport-loving kids?
One of the things we love about reading with kids is the wider world it opens up for them and the book we sent our Parakeet subscribers last month is the perfect example. Too Small Tola is set in bustling Lagos, Nigeria, and stars Tola, a young girl who lives with her brother, sister and grandmother. Here we share 6 more books set in Africa which you might like to look out for.
A very wise publishing person once told me that, in the world of children’s publishing, ‘prizes don’t sell books’. It’s true that even the biggest children’s book prizes don’t get the same media coverage as, say, the Booker Prize, meaning that of course the winning books don’t get the same exposure as the equivalent adult prize-winners. And yet they are a fantastic way to identify some of the best new children’s books and authors and a great place to discover your next favourite read. We share our guide to the children’s book prizes worth following.
When asked which books you think a child should have read by the time they reach their teenage years, many parents would reel off a list of classics. But how accessible are they really to today’s young readers? Why do we spend so much energy trying to get our kids to read the classics, when there is such a wealth of fantastic (and high quality) children’s publishing happening right now? We share our thoughts on this thorny issue and three new adaptations of classic texts which have impressed us recently.
Not only do illustrated books make beautiful gifts, they can also be a great gateway to more challenging content for struggling or reluctant readers. They are inclusive and great for sharing – books for the whole family to enjoy, young and old. So we're sharing just a few of the highly illustrated chapter books worth looking out for.
The book we sent our Cockatoo subscribers this month tells the story of a young boy and his family who have immigrated to Australia. Between that and the current bushfire crisis, this amazing country is very much at the forefront of our minds at the moment. Here are five chapter books set in Australia which we think would make perfect reading for anyone who would like to explore more about life Down Under.
