Winter means time to go to bed a little earlier, which is good news … more time for bedtime stories.
Jamie Oliver (yes … the foodie one) has just launched his first page-turning children’s book … with one pinch of adventure, a dash of friendship, a sprinkle of mystery and a HUGE spoonful of magic. Billy and his friends know that Waterfall Woods is out of bounds; strange things are rumoured to have happened there and no one in their village has ventured past its walls for decades. But when they discover a secret way in, Billy and his best friends, Anna, Jimmy and Andy, can’t resist the temptation to explore! Only to quickly discover that the woods are brimming with magic and inhabited by all sorts of unusual creatures, including a whole community of sprites who need the childrens’ help! With magical battles, a long-lost mythical city, fantastical flying machines, epic feasts and one GIANT rescue, get ready for an adventure you’ll never forget! Jamie has dedicated Billy and The Giant Adventure “to all the kids who struggle at school, or have dyslexia like me. Never lose hope. Believe! You have the power to see things in ways not one else will! Find our way, just like Billy. The Billy-Boy Way!” Puffin
Winnie The Pooh and Me – inspired by AA Milne and EH Shepard, written by Jeanne Willis with gorgeous illustrations by Mark Burgess – who doesn’t love Winnie and Tigger, Rabbit and Piglet, Eyore and Owl, and Kanga and Roo … who feature alongside Christopher Robin. A treasure for young children. Pan Macmillan
Nala Sings by Nonikiwe Mashologu, and joyful illustrations by Subi Bosa, is the story of Nala, who’s favourite thing to do is sing down by the river. But she’s not allowed to go there, because Ledimo, the giant ogre, has been spotted in the area. But one day, she decides to sneak off down to the river, where Ledimo is lying in wait. To be read with much enthusiasm … this will delight little adventurers. Jacana Children’s Books
Girls Don’t Do That. Well, Thembi Kgatlama shows that girls certainly do. Written together with Nikolaos Kirkinis, this is Thembi’s story, one she dedicates her parents, family and friends who supported her, and to “the young girls in South Africa and beyond, chase your dreams and keep working hard to achieve them”. In it, she tells of her humble beginnings in Mohlakeng. She knew that she had the talent for football, and a dream to play one day for South Africa, but she was always told, Girls Don’t Do That: girls don’t play football, and girls certainly don’t play for their country! But her hard work, determination and ability to put the insults behind her led her to play for Banyana Banyana and to be named the greatest player on the African continent. Beautifully illustrated by Chantelle and Burgen Thorne, the book is published in Afrikaans, English, Setswana, isiZulu and isiXhosa. Jacana Children’s Books
All from Exclusive Books