As the new academic year gets underway, there’s no better time to discover some of the exciting new releases. From cosy autumnal stories that are perfect for curling up with, to spooky tales filled with ghosts, ghouls and Halloween magic, there’s something to capture every reader’s imagination. We’ve picked out some of our favourites to inspire your next reading adventure and bring a little seasonal magic to your bookshelf.
For younger readers, Julia Donaldson has come up trumps again with her next instalment in the Gruffalo series, Gruffalo Granny. With plenty to enjoy with familiar characters and fun references to the rest of the series, this is a wonderful addition. The Gruffalo family make preparations as Granny is coming to stay and only the best will do for Granny Gruffalo! What will they make for her welcome meal? And how can the little brown mouse make sure he isn’t on the menu?
Another Donaldson classic is also available with an autumnal theme in this lift the flap addition, Stick Man: the pumpkin hunt. It’s autumn at the family tree and the Stick family are going on a pumpkin hunt to look for the perfect decoration. A simple, colourful search-and-find book for Nursery and Reception age, where you can join Stick Man and his family on their search for pumpkins.
A lovely gentle story for Key Stage 1 pupils is I Saw a Tree by KesGray and Jim Field. This is the story of one girl’s attempt to save her beloved tree from deforestation. Heartbreaking and inspiring in equal measure, this is a picture book like no other. With peep-through pages and breathtaking artwork, this magnificent collaboration is a call to action for humanity to protect and save our trees: for today, tomorrow and eternity.
Rewild by Benjamin Zephaniah and Emily Sutton, creates a powerful and uplifting call to restore our relationship with Earth and rewild our future. A new generation of children see clearly what has been lost – and can also see what could still be saved. Children with wheelbarrows and seeds begin the work to rewild and repair. Showing the story of how the world has changed, it will open the eyes of all readers to the need to play your part.
Suitable for Key Stage 1, This is a book about humility, possibility, and action. A book that honours the wisdom of children.
A spookily themed first book in Rob Biddulph’s series is The Last Wolf, suitable for lower Key Stage 2 readers. A perfect title for Halloween, sees a group of children, who live in a world afraid of werewolves, become involved in an evil plot when a werewolf attack takes place. The legend of the werewolf reimagined in this spine-tingling adventure. Jax, Jovi, Esau and Fourth live for full-moon adventures – sneaking out after curfew, dodging the Nighthawks, and roaming the empty streets of Moonhaven. With short chapters and cliff-hangers galore, this will keep all readers hooked! Rob Biddulph doesn’t disappoint with his brilliant illustrations and a wonderful main character in a wheelchair creating strong appeal.
Another story for Key Stage 1 pupils is A Totally Big Umbrella, by Sarah Crossan and Rebecca Cobb. Tallulah doesn’t like the rain. It spoils her new dress. It makes her favourite biscuits soggy. It ruins EVERYTHING. So, she gets an umbrella from Grandma. For a while, she feels better… But is one umbrella enough? Talullah worries about rain thundering down, and washing her away. She decides that she needs complete protection. So she gets another TOTALLY BIG umbrella and under her umbrella house, Talullah feels safe. But is she missing out on all the fun happening around her? How can she manage her fears and still BE in the world? A reassuring, perceptive and funny story about anxiety and fear and the ways that these can hold us back from embracing all of life’s joys.
For upper Key Stage 2 readers, this new title by Maz Evans, The Last Bard, is a stunning read on multiple levels; a great story with lovely characters and clever Shakespeare references. Will Davenant has known more tragedy than laughter, but there’s a new twist in his family story when he inherits his grandfather’s Complete Works of Shakespeare – and the Bard’s characters spring from its pages. As Shakespeare’s last living relative, Will can summon the book’s heroes, including the murderous Lady Macbeth, Juliet (without her Romeo), Yorick the mournful skull and a mischievous Puck. With his late grandfather’s home under threat, Will, his new friends and Ani from next door must fight for their future in a comedy of errors. A funny, warm, heartfelt novel which will stay with the reader.
Nature’s Heroes: great conservation campaigners, aimed at Lower Key Stage 2 pupils, presents profiles of 37 environmental and conservation campaigners. From Queen Hatshepsut of Ancient Egypt and Aristotle of Ancient Greece, to Charles Darwin, John Muir, Rachel Carson, Grey Owl, Chico Mendes, Beatrix Potter, Wangari Maathai, David Attenborough, young heroes of the 21st century and many more. They have all stood up for Nature as pioneer thinkers, artists, writers and campaigners, to help protect our precious and endangered natural world. With a diverse range of figures, a chatty, engaging first person style and easy browsing, this is a wonderful addition to any book corner.
Key Stage 2 readers will enjoy this fun-filled information text which uses cartoons to engage and learn. Meet the Invisibles by Mike Barfield and Jess Bradley is a wonderful way to learn about everything from the tiny organisms thriving all around us to the invisible energy waves sending signals to our gadgets, the world is brimming with activity that we can’t see. Some really small things can only be seen with the most powerful microscopes, while other things are just plain invisible! Written in Mike Barfield’s hilarious, educational style and accompanied by Jess Bradley’s quirky and colourful comic-strip illustrations, Meet the Invisibles invites curious readers to marvel at the huge powers behind the tiniest phenomena.
Katherine Rundell’s final part of the Impossible Creatures triology, The Neverfear, is now available and suppasses expectations as an absorbing fantasy tale. It’s the Midsummer Feast on the Islet of Glimt and on this magical moonlit evening, the word on everyone’s lips is bandits. Reports of masked men burning villages are spreading throughout the Archipelago, but worse is still to come: Christopher and Anya are ambushed and one of the people they love most is kidnapped. The two children – alongside Ratwin the ratatoska and Jacques the Jaculus dragon – set sail on the Neverfear to recover three precious treasures. Together they must face fearsome giants, win a daring race, and outwit deadly enemies to save those they love most. Action and intrigue and wonderful characters make this one not to be missed for upper key stage 2 pupils.
For Key Stage 3 readers, the latest in the Hunger Games series, Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins is newly released. As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honour of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes. A prequel to the original trilogy, follows Haymitch Abernathy’s own experiences as a tribute participating in the Hunger Games. A real treat for fans.
For YA readers, Traitor’s Nest by Frances Hardinge, portrays powerful beings attempting to outwit each other in a supernatural game of chess with real castles in the kingdom of Thaletal. Deeply affecting the lives of the villagers and townspeople who live there, 16-year-old Burr reluctantly starts a coup against the occupants of a castle which lands in his village. Here, the stakes are higher than the tallest turrets, and every move counts. Burr must work with his sisters and friends – and rely on the unexpected help of a strange and intriguing heiress – to unravel the secrets of the Magpie Maiden and the origins of the Great Game before he becomes just another casualty of the Players’ deadly contest. Richly imaginative in its world building and plot, with well-fleshed out characters, Hardinge excels in her craft in ways other writers only dream of.
A Sci-fi focused on the power of protest, racism and capitalism, Are you Still Watching by Kelechi Okafor is a complex tale for older teens. Dorcas feels like a secondary character in her own small-town life until she discovers that the aliens who are watching her are also bored and may just erase her existence if things don’t get more interesting. With important themes throughout, this will capture the interest of those hooked on the idea of enticing an audience.
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading and our recommended reads inspire you to read one of these texts this Autumn. One Education customers can receive 30% off books from our partners Peters. Just visit www.peters.co.uk/oneeducation to find out more and to purchase using our money off code.
The team at Peters can support you to review your existing book stock, ensuring the texts your pupils and students have access to are up to date and truly representative of them and the wider world. For more information about how we can support you and your reading offer, please contact Alice Pepper, Literacy Consultant at alice.pepper@oneeducation.co.uk
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