Autobiographies and Biographies
Bellingham, Lynda. There's something I've been dying to tell you. 2015.
In 2013, actress, television personality and Sunday Times bestselling author, Lynda Bellingham was diagnosed with cancer. In this memoir, Lynda talks with beautiful poignancy about her life since her diagnosis, her family and how together they came to terms with a future they hadn't planned. This is a brave and brutally honest memoir and yet even when talking about these deeply personal experiences, Lynda manages to spread her infectious warmth and humour bringing light to a very dark time.
3v.
Gregg, Victor. Rifleman: a front-line life from Alamein and Dresden to the fall of the Berlin Wall. 2011.
Born into a working-class family in London in 1919, Victor Gregg enlisted in the Rifle Brigade at nineteen, was sent to the Middle East and saw action in Palestine. Following service in the western desert and at the battle of Alamein, he joined the Parachute Regiment and in September 1944 found himself at the battle of Arnhem. When the paratroopers were forced to withdraw, Gregg was captured. He attempted to escape, but was caught and became a prisoner of war; sentenced to death in Dresden for attempting to escape and burning down a factory, only the allies' infamous raid on the city the night before his execution saved his life.
3v.
Nielsen, Kim E. The radical lives of Helen Keller. 2009.
Many years after her death in 1968, Helen Keller remains one of the most widely recognized women of the twentieth century. But the fascinating story of her vivid political life has been largely overwhelmed by the sentimentalized story of her as a young deaf-blind girl. Best known for her advocacy on behalf of the blind, she was also a member of the socialist party, an advocate of women's suffrage, a defender of the radical International Workers of the World, and a supporter of birth control, and she served as one of the nation's most effective but unofficial international ambassadors.
3v.
Uhlberg, Myron. Hands of my father: a hearing boy, his deaf parents, and the language of love. 2009.
Myron Uhlberg’s memoir tells the story of growing up as the hearing son of deaf parents and his life in a world that he found unaccountably beautiful, even as he longed to escape it. Uhlberg’s first language was American Sign Language, the first sign he learned: “I love you.” But his second language was spoken English and no sooner did he learn it than he was called upon to act as his father’s ears and mouth in the stores and streets of the neighborhood beyond their silent apartment in Brooklyn. Resentful as he sometimes was of the heavy burdens heaped on his small shoulders, he nonetheless adored his parents.
2v.
Woolf, Virginia. Orlando: a biography. 2014. Classic.
Oxford world's classics. Orlando tells the tale of an extraordinary individual who lives through centuries of English history, first as a man, then as a woman; of his/her encounters with queens, kings, novelists, playwrights, and poets, and of his/her struggle to find fame and immortality not through actions, but through the written word. At its heart are the life and works of Woolf's friend and lover, Vita Sackville-West, and Knole, the historic home of the Sackvilles. But as well as being a love letter to Vita, Orlando mocks the conventions of biography and history, teases the pretensions of contemporary men of letters, and wryly examines sexual double standards.
5v.
Wulf, Andrea. The invention of nature: the adventures of Alexander von Humboldt, the lost hero of science. 2015.
Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) is the great lost scientist: more things are named after him than anyone else. There are towns, rivers, mountain ranges, the ocean current that runs along the South American coast, there's a penguin, a giant squid, even the Mare Humboldtianum on the moon. Taking us on a fantastic voyage in his footsteps, Andrea Wulf shows why his life and ideas remain so important today.
7v.
Zamperini, Louis. Devil at my heels: a heroic Olympian's astonishing story of survival as a Japanese POW in World War II. 2014.
Athletically gifted, Louis Zamperini propelled himself from the tough streets of Southern California to the 1936 Berlin Olympics, and to an NCAA mile record at USC that stood for 20 years. When war came he left the track for a B24, a move that would have heartbreaking consequences.
4v.
Food and Drink
Gwynn, Mary. The WI cookbook: the first 100 years. 2015
As the Women's Institute turns 100, this book, brings together the 100 best loved members' recipes nationwide. Organised decade by decade, it spans everything from jams and preserves to main courses, puddings and bakes. Nostalgic favourites like Toad in the Hole and Kedgeree feature alongside contemporary hits such as Lamb Pot Roast with Nettle Champ and Italian Lamb with Roasted Sweet Peppers. Here are recipes created during the war to make the most of limited supplies and ideas to overcome the challenges of food rationing to current day recipes and finally the WI's own signature cake: The Centenary Fruit Cake from North Yorkshire.
3v.
History
Hodge, Susie. Secrets of the Knights Templar: the hidden history of the world's most powerful order. 2013.
The Knights Templar is one of the most secretive and powerful religious orders in history: for over two centuries they were the elite fighting force of the Crusades. Highly trained, and adhering to a strict chivalric code, their success on the battlefield brought them both wealth and political influence. But it is the legends and secrecy surrounding the order and its Grand Masters that continue to fascinate historians and general readers alike. This book examines each of these mysteries in turn to reveal the truth about the Knights' secret practices, rituals and codes, as well as the continued influence of the Templars today.
3v.
Langley, Philippa. The king's grave: the search for Richard III. 2014.
In an incredible find, Richard III's remains have been uncovered beneath a car park in Leicester. In alternate chapters, Philippa Langley, whose years of research and belief that she would find Richard in this exact spot, reveals the inside story of the search for the king's grave, and historian Michael Jones tells of Richard's 15th-century life and death. The result is a portrayal of one of our greatest archaeological discoveries, allowing a complete re-evaluation of our most controversial monarch - one that discards the distortions of later Tudor histories and puts the man firmly back into the context of his times.
4v.
Sides, Hampton. In the kingdom of ice: the grand and terrible polar voyage of the USS Jeannette. 2015.
In 1879 the USS Jeannette set sail from San Francisco to cheering crowds and a frenzy of publicity. The ship and its crew, captained by the heroic George De Long, were heading for glory and one of the last unmapped areas of the globe: the North Pole. But it was not long before the Jeannette was trapped in crushing pack ice. Battling everything from snow blindness and polar bears to ferocious storms and frosty labyrinths, the expedition fought madness and starvation as they desperately strove for survival.
6v.
Summers, Julie. Jambusters: the story of the Women's Institute in the Second World War. 2015.
The Second World War was the WI's finest hour. With all the vigour, energy and enthusiasm at their disposal, a third of a million country women set out to make their lives and the lives of those around them more bearable in what they described as 'a period of insanity'. Jambusters tells the story of the minute and idiosyncratic details of everyday life during the Second World War. Making jam, making do and mending, gathering rosehips, keeping pigs and rabbits, housing evacuees, setting up canteens for the troops, knitting, singing and campaigning for a better Britain after the war: all these activities played a crucial role in war time.
4v.
Literature
Douglas-Fairhurst, Robert. The story of Alice: Lewis Carroll and the secret history of Wonderland. 2015.
Drawing on previously unpublished material, 'The Story of Alice' illuminates the tangled history of two lives and two books, examining the peculiar friendship between Oxford mathematician Charles Dodgson, Lewis Carroll, and Alice Liddell, the child for whom he invented the Alice stories. It analyses how their relationship influenced the creation of Wonderland, how the two Alice books took on an unstoppable cultural momentum in the Victorian era, and why 150 years later they continue to enthrall and delight us.
6v.
Natural History
Mottershead, June. Our zoo. 2015.
When George Mottershead moved to the village of Upton-by-Chester in 1930 to realise his dream of opening a zoo without bars, his four-year-old daughter June had no idea how extraordinary her life would become. Soon her best friend was a chimpanzee called Mary. Chester Zoo has since achieved worldwide renown. June Mottershead chronicles the heartbreak, the humour, the trials and triumphs, above all the characters, both human and animal, who shaped her childhood.
3v.
Religion
Armstrong, Karen. Fields of blood: religion and the history of violence. 2015.
Countering the atheist claim that believers are by default violent fanatics and religion is the cause of all major wars, Karen Armstrong demonstrates that religious faith is not inherently violent. In fact, the world's major religions have throughout their history displayed ambivalent attitudes towards aggression and warfare. At times they have allied themselves with states and empires for protection or to further their influence; at others they have tried to curb state oppression and aggression and worked for peace and justice.
7v.
Travel and Tourism
Balding, Clare. Walking home. 2015.
Clare Balding is on a mission to discover Britain and Ireland. She's conquered over 1,500 miles of footpaths, from the Pennine Way to the South-west Coast Path. As well as blisters and a twisted ankle, she's walked with extraordinary people. In Walking Home she shares these stories and tells of more (mis)adventures with her family and her wayward Tibetan terrier Archie. Along the way there are beguiling diversions and life-changing rambles.
3v.
Macfarlane, Robert. Landmarks. 2015.
Words are grained into our landscapes, and landscapes are grained into our words. Landmarks is about the power of language to shape our sense of place. It is a field guide to the literature of nature, and a glossary containing thousands of remarkable words used in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales to describe land, nature and weather. Travelling from Cumbria to the Cairngorms, and exploring the landscapes of Roger Deakin, J. A. Baker, Nan Shepherd and others, Robert Macfarlane shows that language, well used, is a keen way of knowing landscape, and a vital means of coming to love it.
4v.
Macfarlane, Robert. The old ways: a journey on foot. 2013.
Following the tracks, holloways, drove-roads and sea paths that form part of a vast ancient network of routes criss-crossing the British Isles and beyond, Robert Macfarlane discovers a lost world, a landscape of the feet and the mind, of pilgrimage and ritual, of stories and ghosts; above all of the places and journeys which inspire and inhabit our imaginations.
5v.
Wood, Levison. Walking the Nile. 2015.
In this book, recounting Levison Wood's walk the length of the Nile, he will uncover the history of the Nile. He will also come face to face with the great story of a modern Africa emerging out of the past. The challenges of the terrain, the climate, the animals, the people and his own psychological resolution are immense. The dangers are very real, but so is the motivation for this ex-army officer. No one has ever made this journey on foot. If he can overcome the mental and physical challenges, he will be walking into history.
4v.
Children and young adult fiction
0-4 suggested reading age
Cowell, Cressida. How to be a Viking. 2013.
This is a story about a little Viking who cannot fit in. Unlike his dad, Stoick the Vast, Hiccup is tiny, thoughtful and polite and scared of almost everything, especially of going to sea for the very first time. But go he must. So who will save the day when everything goes wrong aboard ship and all the big Vikings lose their cool?
Summer Reading Challenge 2016.
1v.
Davidson, Susanna. Usborne my first fairyland book. 2011.
Discover the magical world of fairyland as you search an enchanted forest for fairies sleeping in cobwebs, pixies dancing, elves sailing on boats made of leaves and goblins hoarding their treasure. Beautifully detailed illustrations show scenes from fairyland - from a goblin market to a frost fair and fairies dancing by moonlight. This title introduces new words and lots of things to look for and talk about with your child.
1v.
Usborne illustrated nursery rhymes. 2011.
This is an illustrated collection of over 100 traditional rhymes with enchanting illustrations ideal for any baby or young child. It also includes well-known tongue-twisters, sayings and lullabies.
1v.
5+ suggested reading age
Butchart, Pamela. The magic hamster. 2016.
Wigglesbottom Primary: book 3. This title features three more stories of primary school mayhem as 2R set out to solve the real mysteries of life. What is the school mashed potato really made of? When Lauren swallows a fly, will she actually turn into one? And who, or what, is 'robot boy'?
Summer Reading Challenge 2016.
1v.
Chandler, Fiona. The sorcerer's apprentice. 2007. Folklore and fables.
Usborne young reading. Thanks to his laziness, the sorcerer's apprentice dabbles in magic far beyond his abilities. But when the consequences of his actions begin to spiral dangerously out of control, he finds himself in big trouble. This retelling is based on a poem composed in 1797 by the German writer, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
1v.
Civardi, Anne. Going on a plane. 2005.
Usborne first experiences. Each title in the 'First Experiences'
series introduces very young children, with very simple text, to a situation they might find themselves in for the first time. Going on a plane for the first time is very exciting! This book shows small children what to expect and Stephen Cartwright’s illustrations are full of things for children to look at and talk about. With a little yellow duck to spot on every page.
1v.
Davidson, Susanna. East of the sun, west of the moon. 2009.
Folklore and fables. Usborne young reading. The Norwegian folk tale retold for children growing in reading confidence and ability. Based on a Scandinavian fairytale, Asta's father gives her to a talking white bear in exchange for wealth. She is taken away to the bear's castle, but is there more to this bear than meets the eye?
1v.
Davidson, Susanna. Rapunzel. 2005. Magic and fairy tales.
Kidnapped at birth by a wicked witch, then locked up in a tower, Rapunzel thinks all is lost until a handsome prince comes to save her. But the witch is more cunning then they realize. Will Rapunzel ever escape?
1v.
Davies, Kate. Noah's ark. 2011.
Usborne first reading. Noah is told to build an ark that will hold two of every animal before the big flood arrives.
1v.
Daynes, Katie. The ant and the grasshopper. 2008.
Usborne first reading. A thoughtful retelling of Aesop's fable. It's the middle of summer and while the grasshopper is enjoying himself, the ant is busy preparing for winter and when winter arrives both the ant and the grasshopper learn something about the merits of hard work.
1v.
Meadows, Daisy. Luna the loom band fairy. 2014.
Rainbow magic. Luna the loom band fairy makes sure everyone has lots of fun creating fabulous loom band arts and crafts. But when naughty Jack Frost steals her magical sparkling silver loom, all the creations start to go wrong! Can Rachel and Kirsty get it back and help save the day for loom band fans everywhere?
1v.
Meadows, Daisy. Emma the Easter fairy. 2011.
Rainbow magic. Each spring, Emma the Easter fairy paints three magical eggs, and these help everyone have a wonderful time. But when mean Jack Frost steals the magical eggs and kidnaps the Easter Bunny everything starts to go wrong! Can Rachel and Kirsty help Emma before this special time of year is ruined?
1v.
Rosen, Michael. Bilal's brilliant bee. 2016.
Bilal is terrified of The Test. He can't answer any of the questions! But then Bumble the bee comes along, and he can answer any question you ask, even the really tricky ones. Then Bilal's granny suggests they go on the wildly popular TV quiz show, What's What? Win the Lot! But what will happen if Bilal and Bumble do win the lot? Summer Reading Challenge 2016.
1v.
Stories from around the world for little children. 2011. Folklore and fables.
Usborne picture storybooks. This is a treasury of stories from around the world, retold for young children. It contains five traditional tales with illustrations: "Aladdin and his Magical Lamp" (Persia), "Brer Rabbit Down the Well" (United States), "How Zebras Got their Stripes" (Africa), "Why the Sea is Salty" (Korea) and "The Dragon Painter" (China). Each story is illustrated and perfect for either reading aloud or for more confident readers to tackle alone.
1v.
7+ suggested reading age
Clary, Julian. The Bolds. 2015.
Bolds: book 1. Mr and Mrs Bold live in a nice house (in Teddington), they have jobs (like writing Christmas cracker jokes) and they love to have a bit of a giggle. And they're hyenas! So far, they've managed to keep things under wraps, even when their children were born. But the nosey man next door smells a rat (or a hyena), and a trip to the local wildlife park, and the brilliantly wacky heist that results, could be the end of Teddington's best -kept secret.
Summer Reading Challenge 2016.
1v.
Courtauld, Sarah. Journey to the centre of the Earth. 2013.
Usborne young reading. A rip-roaring adventure story, this is the story of Jules Verne's classic sci-fi novel, retold for younger readers. Intrepid explorer Professor Liedenbrock leads a dramatic expedition to an Icelandic volcano, where a secret tunnel leads to the very centre of the earth.
1v.
Courtauld, Sarah. White Fang. 2010.
Usborne young reading. The classic tale of White Fang, half-wolf, half-dog, by Jack London retold for children ready to tackle longer and more complex stories. The story of White Fang’s epic journey from cub to sled dog to fighting dog. Living in harsh surroundings with brutal owners, every day is a battle for survival.
1v.
Cowell, Cressida. How to fight a dragon's fury. 2015.
How to train your dragon: book 12. It is the Doomsday of Yule. At the end of this day, either the humans or the dragons will face extinction. Alvin the Treacherous is about to be crowned the King of the Wilderwest on the island of Tomorrow. His reign of terror will begin with the destruction of dragons everywhere. The fate of the dragon world lies in the hands of one young boy as he stands on the nearby isle of Hero's End with nothing to show, but everything to fight for.
2v.
Davidson, Zanna. Midnight escape. 2014.
Usborne young reading. Fairy ponies: book 1. Holly is staying with her Great Aunt May when she discovers a tiny pony with shimmering wings. At first, she thinks she must be dreaming, until two fairy ponies visit her one night on an urgent undertaking: Puck the fairy pony has been snatched by the spoiled girl next-door, and the ponies need Holly's help to rescue him. Little does Holly know that their midnight escape will lead to a special reward - entry to the secret world of the fairy ponies, hidden in the Great Oak Tree at the bottom of the garden.
1v.
Davidson, Zanna. Magic necklace. 2014.
Usborne young reading. Fairy ponies: book 2. Puck, the fairy pony, and Holly are visiting the Pony Queen when a powerful magic necklace - which grants its wearer whatever they wish for – is stolen from her Summer Palace. Puck and Holly's search for the thief leads them into the underwater world of the river ponies, an enchanting place of coral houses, clear waters and dangerous sea creatures. When their adventures finally bring them to the culprit, they find themselves face-to-face with a wicked fairy pony, whose evil wish is to steal the throne from the Pony Queen!
1v.
Davidson, Zanna. Rainbow races. 2014.
Usborne young reading. Fairy ponies: book 3. Holly can't wait to watch her friend, Puck the fairy pony, compete in the Rainbow Races. But when an enchanted storm is unleashed over Pony Island, ruining the races, the home of the fairy ponies is threatened with darkness forever.
1v.
Davidson, Zanna. Unicorn Prince. 2014.
Usborne young reading. Fairy ponies: book 5. A pony princess, Rosabel, has come to stay on Pony Island, and Puck and Holly are given the task of looking after her. But spoilt and determined Princess Rosabel flies to the dark forest where she is kidnapped by Shadow.
1v.
Daynes, Katie. Ali Baba and the forty thieves. 2007.
Usborne young reading. A classic folktale retold with easy-reading text for children who have just started reading alone. Ali Baba has discovered a cave full of treasure. It's a dream come true! But soon he has a nosy brother and forty thieves to deal with.
1v.
Forbes, Sarah. Elspeth Hart and the school for show-offs. 2015. Adventure.
Elspeth Hart: book 1. Ever since her parents were tragically washed away in a flood, poor Elspeth Hart has been forced to live with her disgusting aunt, Miss Crabb, in the attic of the Pandora Pants School for Show-offs. Elspeth spends her days sweeping up mouse droppings, washing filthy pots and dodging Tatiana Firensky, the most horrible show-off of all. But what Elspeth doesn't know is that things are about to change.
Summer Reading Challenge 2016.
1v.
Frost, Adam. A brush with danger. 2015.
Fox investigates: book 1. P.I. Fox is a globe-trotting detective with unorthodox methods. He's guaranteed to solve any mystery, no matter how unusual it is! Wily Fox is in Paris investigating a notorious art forger and someone is definitely trying to stop him. Can Wily Fox solve the mystery before troublesome Detective Inspector Hound does?
Summer Reading Challenge 2016.
1v.
Gray, Louise. Izzy the invisible. 2016.
Eight-year-old Izzy is more curious, playful and clumsy than her serious, grown-up sister Carrie. In fact Izzy is much more like Gran, an eccentric scientist who has a house full of weird and wonderful pets. But when one of Gran's experiments backfires, Izzy discovers that she has the ability to become invisible! That is, unless Perky the parrot is perched on her shoulder, or she has one of his feathers safely stowed in her pocket. While Gran searches for an antidote, Izzy explores her invisibility but Mum, Dad and Carrie aren't impressed. Can Izzy prove that she is using her invisibility to help those around her, and regain her sister's trust?
Summer Reading Challenge 2016.
1v.
Jones, Gareth P. Rise of the slippery sea monster. 2016.
Adventures of the Steampunk Pirates: book 4. Wanted: Dead or Alive! (Or smashed into little bits and delivered in boxes.) The Steampunk Pirates get a taste of their own medicine when the Leaky Battery is raided by a sea monster that's greedy for gold. But when the rusty robots race to get their treasure back, they sail straight into a trap...Can they dodge the creature's twisting tentacles or will they be squished to smithereens?
Summer Reading Challenge 2016.
1v.
MacPhail, David. Thorfinn and the awful invasion. 2015.
Thorfinn the nicest Viking: book 1. Thorfinn is no ordinary Viking! He is always polite and happily offers to wash the dirty dishes. Too bad his dad is Harald the Skull-Splitter, Village Chief and the roughest and toughest Viking of them all. Tired of Thorfinn and his too-nice ways getting them into trouble, his dad decides it's time for Thorfinn to earn his gruesome Viking name. Stuck on a longboat with a ragtag bunch of adventurers who'd like to throw him overboard, how will the Nicest Viking cope with a dangerous voyage to Scotland?
Summer Reading Challenge 2016.
1v.
Pounder, Sibéal. Witch wars. 2015.
Witch wars: book 1. When Fran the Fabulous Fairy turns up in Tiga Whicabim's shed to tell her she's a witch, Tiga doesn't believe her. Or at least not until Fran points out that TIGA WHICABIM is actually an anagram of I AM A BIG WITCH and magics her away down the drainpipes to compete in Witch Wars – the competition to crown the next Top Witch of Ritzy City.
Summer Reading Challenge 2016.
1v.
Rayner, Shoo. Dragon gold. 2014.
What would you do if there was a school competition to make a dragon that can fly? Ryan always wins everything, thanks to his incredibly competitive dad. Ryan will have the state-of-the-art gadget like always. Harri would love to know what it feels like to win, just once, but there's no chance. And then someone new walks into Harri's mum's shop. Someone 'almost' invisible.
Summer Reading Challenge 2016.
1v.
9+ suggested reading age
Clare, Horatio. Aubrey and the terrible yoot. 2015.
Aubrey is a rambunctious boy who tries to run before he can walk and has crashed two cars before he's old enough to drive one. But when his father, Jim, falls under an horrendous spell Aubrey is determined to break it. Everyone says his task is impossible, but with the help of the animals of Rushing Wood, Aubrey will never give up and never surrender - even if he must fight the unkillable Spirit of Despair itself: the terrible yoot!
Summer Reading Challenge 2016.
1v.
Morpurgo, Michael. Beowulf. 2013.
Myths and legends. Long ago there was a Scandinavian warrior who fought three evils so powerful they could destroy whole kingdoms. Standing head and shoulders above his comrades, Beowulf single-handedly saves the land of the Danes from a merciless ogre named Grendel and then from his sea-hag mother. But it is his third terrible battle, with the death-dragon of the deep, in which he truly meets his match.
1v.
Walliams, David. Awful auntie. 2014.
Humorous fiction. From larger than life, tiddlywinks obsessed Awful Aunt Alberta to her pet owl, Wagner – this is an adventure with a difference. Aunt Alberta is on a mission to cheat the young Lady Stella Saxby out of her inheritance, Saxby Hall. But, with the help of Soot, the Cockney ghost of a chimney sweep alongside her, Stella is determined to fight back. And sometimes, a special friend, however different, is all you need to win through.
2v.
11+ suggested reading age
Sugg, Zoe. Girl Online. 2015.
Girl Online: book 1. Penny has a secret. Under the alias Girl Online, she blogs about school dramas, boys, her mad, whirlwind family and the panic attacks she's suffered from lately. When things go from bad to worse, her family whisks her away to New York, where she meets the gorgeous, guitar-strumming Noah. Suddenly Penny is falling in love and capturing every moment of it on her blog. But Noah has a secret too. One that threatens to ruin Penny's cover, and her closest friendship, forever.
2v.
13+ suggested reading age
Let it snow: three holiday romances. 2013.
Romance. An ill-timed storm on Christmas Eve buries the residents of Gracetown under multiple feet of snow and causes quite a bit of chaos. One brave soul ventures out into the storm from her stranded train and sets off a train of events that will change quite a few lives. Over the next three days one girl takes a risky shortcut with an adorable stranger, three friends set out to win a race to the Waffle House (and the hash brown spoils), and the fate of a teacup pig falls into the hands of a lovesick barista.
2v.
MacPhail, Catherine. Sticks and stones. 2005.
Greg thinks he's the funniest and coolest boy in school, until he finds himself in the frame for stealing a mobile phone and realises not everyone thinks he's as cool as he does!
1v.
15+ suggested reading age
Green, John. Will Grayson, Will Grayson. 2012.
Gay fiction. One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, Will Grayson crosses paths with...Will Grayson. When two teens, one gay and one straight, meet accidentally and discover that they share the same name, their lives become intertwined as one begins dating the other's best friend, who produces a play revealing his relationship with them both.
2v.
Children and young adult non-fiction
0-4 suggested reading age
General non-fiction
Litchfield, Jo. First shapes. 2012.
Usborne look and say. Introducing the concept of shapes to very young children, this book shows them how to identify squares, circles, triangles, rectangles and stars, as each of the scenes shows objects made of these shapes.
1v.
English Language
Bonnet, Rosalinde. Colours. 2012.
Usborne very first words. This is a colourful first picture wordbook, filled with familiar objects for small children to spot and name. It encourages vocabulary building, talking, and colour recognition.
1v.
Bonnet, Rosalinde. Things that go. 2013.
Usborne very first words. This title offers lots of vehicles for small children to spot and talk about. It helps with the essential acquisition of language skills.
1v.
Bonnet, Rosalinde. Usborne very first ABC. 2012.
A charmingly illustrated first alphabet book for the very young. It includes a picture for each letter and carefully controlled vocabulary and phonically regular words. It features picturesthat provide lots to talk about for pre-readers and will aid vocabulary building.
1v.
Brooks, Felicity. Farm. 2013.
Look and say. Each double-page shows a different farm, and introduces children to the names of the farm animals found there. This book is a great way to get children talking about familiar farm animals and learn new words.
1v.
Litchfield, Jo. Holiday. 2012.
Usborne look and say. Turn the pages of this bright and lively picture book to find out about going on holiday. Little children will love spotting and naming all the familiar objects.
1v.
Litchfield, Jo. Home. 2013.
Usborne look and say. Each double-page shows a different room in the house, and introduces children to the names of the objects found there. This book is a great way to get children talking about familiar objects and learn new words.
1v.
Litchfield, Jo. School. 2013.
Usborne look and say. This little picture book follows the progress of a busy nursery class through the day. With lots to look at and learn, young children will be fascinated by the colour and detail on every page.
1v.
5+ suggested reading age
Natural History
Courtauld, Sarah. Bears. 2010.
Usborne first reading. Did you know that there are only eight different kinds of bears in the world. This title explores the world of bears and discusses different species, their habitats and how they catch their prey. It follows some new born cubs as they leave their den and venture out into the world.
1v.
Courtauld, Sarah. Frogs. 2007.
Usborne first reading. This book looks at the fascinating world of frogs. Splash into the slimy world of frogs, and find out how they feed, swim and keep safe from danger. Then watch as a tiny tadpole grows up into a frog and takes it first leap onto land.
1v.
Courtauld, Sarah. Monkeys. 2009.
Usborne first reading. This title allows children to find out about the different species of monkey across the world, including their habitats, diets and habits. Swing into the amazing world of monkeys with this charmingly illustrated book. See monkeys leap from tree to tree and eat up crunchy bags. Then watch as grown-up monkeys fall asleep and their babies start to play.
1v.
Courtauld, Sarah. Owls. 2009.
Usborne first reading. Swoop into the secret world of owls and find out how they see, hear and hunt in the dark. Then watch as a baby owl grows up, climbs out of her nest and learns to fly. Part of the "First Reading" series, aimed at children who are beginning to read and developed in consultation with Alison Kelly, who is a senior lecturer in education and an early reading specialist from Roehampton University.
1v.
Lacey, Minna. The Usborne big book of big sea creatures. 2011.
Including watercolour illustrations by Fabiano Fiorin, this book covers huge sharks, whales, squid and lots of other fish, with key facts about each creature.
1v.
Transport
Cullis, Megan. The Usborne big book of big trains. 2013.
An information picture book for young readers on a topic that is loved by all generations. Fabulous, big pictures of all different types of trains from steam engines to bullet trains and funicular railways. With big, bold, colourful illustrations and some amazing facts.
1v.
9+ suggested reading age
Drama
Thorne, Jack. Harry Potter and the cursed child. 2016.
It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn't much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and father of three school-age children. While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.
2v.
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