(Note: by younger readers I mean those aged between 5-10 years of age. I realise this is a bit of an arbitrary line as the tastes and abilities of children vary from person to person, but it’s what I’m gone with here.)
Goth Girl and the Wuthering Fright by Chris Riddell is the third, and latest, in Riddell’s Goth Girl series. Fans might already have this on their Christmas list. Honestly, I can’t say I’ve read any of the titles – and neither have my kids – but I’ve heard good things about them. Here’s a trailer to whet your interest:
I think it’s safe to assume that the next title needs no explanation – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the first in the Harry Potter trilogy by J. K. Rowling, has just been released as a full-colour illustrated hardback edition. If you’re a collector of all the varying covers and editions over the years, or if you’d like an extra-special version to enjoy by yourself or reading to a child not yet familiar with the movies (and not have those images already imprinted in their minds – not that I’m saying that’s a bad thing), then this book would be an excellent choice. Truly, they’re all terrific.
I’d heard word-of-mouth raves of Withering-by-Sea by Judith Rossell long before it started piling up award nominations and wins. It’s the sort of book I know Keira would like – the release refers to it as a ‘Victorian fantasy-adventure’ – but she’s been reluctant to give it a go every time I’ve made the suggestion. I think the title is a tad obfuscating (“What does that even mean?”) for her even if its accolades speak for themselves; this said, I might sell it by the subtitle: ‘A Stella Montgomery Intrigue’. That’ll be the hook, she loves those.
Another you-live-under-a-rock-if-you-don’t-know-it series (at least here in Australia) is the Treehouse series by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton. The latest release is The 65-Storey Treehouse, but if you have a beginner to the series, why not go right back to start with the original title The 13-Storey Treehouse. Even better, with this book and treehouse trivia set, you’re getting a nice bundle to give as a present. My two saw this in the bookshop and were immediately intrigued, wanting to see if they could answer the trivia questions based on their knowledge (they love all the books).
This next book is on Riley’s beside pile. Ickypedia‘s subtitle tells you pretty much all you need to know: ‘A Dictionary of Disgusting New Words’. If you know a language-curious child who loves pictures, puns, gross/funny stuff and discussions of bodily excretions, this is for them.
