Brilliant New Children's Fiction to Pre-order
by Mary Esther Judy
It’s that time of year when the new books are rolling out! And you’ll be looking for the perfect book to keep the kids entranced throughout the winter. Here are a few stories of mystery, history, the unseen world, the dangers of wartime…all perfect for those middle-grade readers who go through books almost as fast as they are published. Get a head start by pre-ordering from LitVox and they’ll arrive directly to your door! Here are a few of the best….a little something for everyone!
The Chime Seekers by Ross Montgomery
When an evil faerie steals Yanni’s baby sister, swapping her for a Changeling, Yanni is swept into a dangerous race against time to get her back. Faeries delight in deception, so rescuing her won’t be easy. With the help of his cousin, Amy, and the reluctant Changeling, Yanni must travel to puzzling crossroads, goblin palaces, battle-swept oceans, uncovering ancient treasures and secrets along the way.
He will need every drop of courage and even a few tricks of his own, if he’s to outwit the faerie and save his sister…The mystical world of folklore and legend spring into the day-to-day world with humour and heart in this cracking adventure. From the author of The Midnight Guardians (4 November; Walker Books)
By Rowan and Yew by Melissa Harrison
As autumn arrives, Moss, Sorrel, Burnet and Dormer decide to return home to Ash Row to unravel a riddle that might explain why their kind are (literally) fading from the Wild World. When you’re only a hand high, it’s a journey filled with both danger and delight: golden leaves, shiny conkers, the brightest of berries, but also storms and the first frost of winter.
They have friendship, good sense and humour on their side. But will it be enough to secure a future for the Hidden Folk? Or will they need to go further, and find a way to work with the most unreliable of creatures … humans? The incredible sequel to By Ash, Oak and Thorn. (7 October; Chicken House Books)
The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo
In a time of war, a mysterious child appears at the monastery of the Order of the Chronicles of Sorrowing. Gentle Brother Edik finds the girl, Beatryce, curled in a stall, wracked with fever. She is coated in dirt and blood, holding fast to the ear of Answelica the recalcitrant goat. As Beatryce returns to health, the monk uncovers her dangerous secret – one that imperils them all.
So it is that a girl with a head full of stories is sent into a dark wood in search of a king who wishes her dead. But should she lose her way, Beatryce knows that those who love her – a wild-eyed monk, a man who had once been king, a boy with a terrible sword and a goat with a head as hard as stone – will never give up searching for her. Beautiful tale from the author of The Tale of Desperaux & Raymie Nightingale. (30 September; Walker Books)
The False Rose by Jakob Wegelius
Sally Jones and her friend the Chief are working hard, trying to repair their beloved ship The Hudson Queen, when they discover a beautiful and very valuable pearl necklace hidden onboard. Their search for the rightful owner takes them all the way to the Glasgow docks, where they discover the true story of the necklace, but before they can continue their journey Sally Jones is kidnapped and drawn into the city’s shadowy gangster underworld.
Sally will need all her strength and cunning to escape from the gang’s clutches, find The Chief and return the necklace to where it belongs. A gripping story from the author of The Murderers’ Ape (7 October; Pushkin Childrens’ Books)
The Ice Whisperers by Helenka Stachera
When Bela’s mother dies, she is summoned to deepest Siberia to stay with an uncle she’s never met. Exploring his strange scientific workshop, she uncovers a secret she was never meant to find – a doorway that opens an to icy land, frozen in time and full of legends come to life.
But this frozen land is in danger, and it’s up to Bela to find a way to save it. To succeed, she must join forces with the impossible: a long-lost sister she never knew she had, born 40,000 years before . . . An icy adventure with a heart-warming tale of sisterhood. (28 October; Puffin)
The Lion Above the Door by Onjali Q Rauf
Leo and his best friend Sangeetha are the odd ones out in their school. But as Leo’s dad is always telling him, it’s because they’re special. Only thing is, if they’re so special, how come they never see anyone who looks like them in their school history books?
Then, on a class trip to a nearby cathedral, Leo’s attention is drawn to a large marble slab high above the doors of the hall. Right there, bang in the middle of a list of war heroes, Leo finds himself staring at something incredible: his own name. Desperate to know who this other Leo was, the two friends embark on a search. And together, they begin to uncover missing stories from the past, ones which they are determined to put back into their rightful place in the pages of history. A story of missing history told with heart and humour. (14 October; Orion Childrens Books)
Jane Austen Investigates: The Burglars’ Ball by Julia Golding
Cassandra Austen is invited to attend an end of term ball at her former school and brings along younger sister, Jane. While Cassandra plunges into the feverish excitement of the biggest event of the year, sharp-witted Jane discovers all is not what it seems. The school is going bankrupt, the headteacher is desperate to impress a rich family returned from India and at the ball, a diamond necklace is stolen from a locked room.
They are propelled into a race to uncover the culprit and save new friend, Brandon (a former slave) from gaol. With the ever-present Austen spirit and notebook in hand, Jane will overcome the obstacles to finding the truth. The sequel to The Abbey Mystery…clever mystery that delivers you to the world of Jane Austen! (22 October; Lion Fiction)
We Are Wolves by Katrina Nannestad
When the Russian Army marches into East Prussia at the end of the Second World War, the Wolf family must flee. Liesl, Otto and their baby sister Mia find themselves lost and alone, in a blizzard, in the middle of a war zone. Liesl has promised Mama that she will keep her brother and sister safe.
But sometimes, to survive, you have to do bad things. Dangerous things. Wild things. Sometimes to survive, you must become a wolf. A heart-breaking, untold story from World War 2, filled with small acts of human kindness. (28 October; Farshore)
Our children’s books editor is Mary Esther Judy. You can read more of Mary’s reviews, features and brilliant kids-book news at Fallen Star Stories.
