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You are here: Home / Archives for BookOfTheDay

The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud

April 20, 2021 By achuka Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 21 Apr 2021
Times Children’s Book of the Week 17 Apr 2021

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“Stroud does not compromise. Scarlett is unpleasant, hard to love; Albert is irritating, weak. Yet through skill and good writing we begin to love and understand this odd couple, mini-me John Waynes, and by the end we’d pay a ransom (or at least the paperback cover price) to see them again. Luckily for us there is a new one trotting over the horizon . . .” The Times

Set in a broken, future England, where gunfights and monsters collide, this is the exciting first title in a phenomenal fantasy teen series by the bestselling children’s novelist. England has been radically changed by a series of catastrophes – large cities have disappeared and London has been replaced by a lagoon. The surviving population exists in fortified towns where they cling to traditional ways, while strangely evolved beasts prowl the wilderness beyond. Conformity is rigidly enforced and those who fall foul of the rules are persecuted: some are killed, others are driven out into the wilds. Only a few fight back – and two of these outlaws, Scarlett McCain and Albert Browne, display an audacity and talent that makes them legends.

Filed Under: Blog, BookOfTheDay, Books, YA Tagged With: dystopia, future

Hard-Boiled Bugs for Breakfast: And Other Tasty Poems by Jack Prelutsky ill. Ruth Chan

April 20, 2021 By achuka Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 20 Apr 2021

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“Nonsense confidently delivered in lines that scan satisfyingly (“My dragon is mad at my ogre, / My ogre is mad at my gnome, / My gnome will not talk to my goblin. / It’s truly upsetting my home”), surrounded by Chan’s exuberantly cartooned black-and-white drawings.” Horn Book
“A quick-witted delight.” KIRKUS

A new collection from the celebrated first US Young People’s Poet Laureate  Jack Prelutsky, featuring more than one hundred  poems.

Illustrator Ruth Chan’s lively and hilarious black-and-white art jumps off every page and illuminates a wide array of poetic forms, from haiku to concrete poems and everything in between.
Follow Ruth Chan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohtruth/

Jack Prelutsky, now over 80 (the video below is from 10 years ago), is America’s favourite children’s poet. The UK poet who reminds me most of Prelutsky (in his ability to scan silly rhymes together) is the very underrated Colin West.

 

 

Filed Under: Blog, BookOfTheDay, Books, Poetry/Tales

Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

April 19, 2021 By achuka Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 19 Apr 2021
Times Children’s Book of the Week 3 Apr 2021

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“It’s cut like a gemstone. Turn the pages, and facets gleam.” Hiliary McKay
“Each narrative underscores the suffocating social expectations unique to their small rural communities, challenging the stereotype that nothing ever happens in them. Arranged in loose chronological order, the seemingly disparate stories contain overlapping secondary characters and locations, and Alaskan author Hitchcock uses small details of daily life to paint a strong sense of place and quirky characters.” KIRKUS
“Hitchcock is insightful on the limitations of sibling loyalty, poor parenting and the inherent contradiction of life in a small town: it is always boring but everything happens there.” The Times
“Despite its darkness, this book is a triumph of story-telling. The only indication that it is written principally for teenage rather than for adult readers is the fact that all its main characters are young. In every other way it is a story for all ages.” Nick Tucker, BfK 5-Star review

A second, highly anticipated novel from Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock, author of The Smell Of Other People’s Houses. A collection of short stories linked by towns in Alaska and the American West capturing the experiences of young people living a frontier existence. Whether they are brought together by the spread of wildfire, by the priest who’s moved from state to state or by the hunt for a missing child, these tales blaze with secrets, rage and love.

Filed Under: Blog, BookOfTheDay, Books, YA

The Great Barrier Reef by Helen Scales ill. Lisk Feng

April 15, 2021 By achuka Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 16 Apr 2021

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A captivating illustrated introduction to The Great Barrier Reef from Flying Eye, written by renowned Oceanographer and author, Helen Scales and illustrated by up-and-comer Lisk Feng. This is perfect for intrepid young snorkelers or children curious about the world under the sea. With nearly 400,000 square kilometres of dazzling colour, intricate ecosystems and unique creatures large and small, The Great Barrier Reef is one of the great natural wonders of our world. Vibrant, dynamic illustrations illuminate this enchanting place, its animal inhabitants, and the people who have embraced it as a centrepiece of their cultures. Learn all about how the reef came to be, its place in the world, and perhaps most importantly, what we can all do to help ensure that The Great Barrier Reef will be around for countless future generations to discover!

Follow Link Feng, a New York based illustrator, on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liskfeng/

Flip through some example pages and see the stunning spreads:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Lisk Feng (@liskfeng)

Filed Under: Blog, BookOfTheDay, Books, NonFiction

If I had an octopus by Gabby Dawnay & Alex Barrow

April 14, 2021 By achuka Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 15 Apr 2021

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I really want a clever pet, a pet with many charms.
The sort of pet with talents, and a large amount of arms

Have you ever thought about what the best aquatic pet would be? It’s an octopus, of course! Playing different ball games simultaneously and staying camouflaged when it’s bedtime is eight times the fun – just watch out for the ink…

With vibrant illustrations and playful rhymes, If I Had an Octopus is a charming and imaginative tale about bedtime story that follows a little girl’s flight of fancy as she imagines the advantages and disadvantages of having an octopus for a pet.

More books in the series:
If I Had A Dinosaur
If I Had A Sleepy Sloth
If I Had A Unicorn

Follow Alex Barrow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexmaglalangbarrow/

Filed Under: Blog, BookOfTheDay, Books, Illustrated Tagged With: rhyming

The Happiness of a Dog with a Ball in its Mouth by Bruce Handy ill. Hyewon Yum

April 13, 2021 By achuka Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 14 Apr 2021

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Oh, yes! A new book from the illustrator of I Am A Bird, a previous ACHUKA Book of the Day.

Starting from the happiness of waking up into a brand-new day, the book goes on to explore the kinds of relationships and contrasts that play out between our feelings and experiences. Whether it’s the nervousness of a beginning paired with the happiness of a middle; the indignity of a cut against the happiness of a scab; the boredom of nothing to do contrasted with the happiness of nothing to do; or the divide of mine against the happiness of our, these pages challenge the reader to think about daily activities and experiences and the feelings they conjure. They also lead us to think about the substance of our happiness, and what the ingredients of it might be. Written with subtlety and nuance and illustrated in pencil, pen and watercolour with great tenderness, The Happiness of a Dog with a Ball in its Mouth is a gentle and philosophical read.

Follow Hyewon Yum on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yumhyewon/

 

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A post shared by Hyewon Yum (@yumhyewon)

Filed Under: Blog, BookOfTheDay, Books, Illustrated Tagged With: boredom, philosophical, reflection

The Supreme Lie by Geraldine McCaughrean

April 12, 2021 By achuka Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 13 Apr 2021

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“Have you ever wondered during the last year: Are the Government telling us everything? Are the papers trying to scare us? Are they making things up? They’re probably not. But  there have been times when statesmen told lies, when newspapers invented the facts, when promises were worthless and, as a result, a lot of people died. I read of one such scandal that took place in America in the 1920s, and I set about designing a fictional country where imminent danger threatens, panic is everywhere, and the truth is hard to come by.” Geraldine McCaughream

Twice Carnegie medal winning Geraldine McCaughrean’s enthralling new novel is set in a world paralysed by natural disaster and dangerous lies.

Fifteen-year-old Gloria is maid to Afalia’s tyrannical Head of State, Madame Suprema. When the country is hit by unprecedented flooding, Madame Suprema runs away, fearing she will be blamed for the crisis. To cover up this cowardly act, Gloria is made to step into Madame Suprema’s shoes and is thrust into a world of corrupt and desperate politicians. As Gloria becomes aware of the forces toying with her every move, she must take decisions that could save, or end, thousands of lives – including her own…

A brilliant and darkly funny commentary on our present times with terrific cover art by Leo Nickolls.
Follow Leo Nickolls on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leonickolls/

The inside illustrations by Keith Robinson—recently a guest in ACHUKA’s weekend Meet An Illustrator feature—help strengthen the sense of verisimilitude.

Filed Under: Blog, BookOfTheDay, Books, Fiction, YA

Drawn Across Borders: True Stories of Migration by George Butler

April 12, 2021 By achuka Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 12 Apr 2021

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“George’s work gets to the essence of war and the experiences of the human beings caught up in it.” Jeremy Bowen

“The Paul Nash of our era.” Michael Morpurgo

“While photography is good in what it can reveal; drawing has that ability to have a considered approach of a different kind – simply because it is less instant and more reflective. Stories emerge from such drawings. George Butler is keeping reportage drawing alive.”   John Vernon Lord

“It is an unusual feeling to walk into a place that everyone is leaving. I have been stared at as if I am lost or mad, and sometimes I have felt as if I am both. However, by resisting the temptation to turn around and walk away I have made these drawings. I made them in refugee camps, war zones and on the move, and as I drew, people told me their stories.” George Butler

In striking and intimate illustrations, award-winning artist George Butler introduces us to the people behind the headlines. Drawings made on front lines, in refugee camps and on the move vividly capture stories of leaving home, travelling into the unknown and trying to make a new life. These powerful portraits of migration are a timely reminder of the humanity we all share and our universal need to seek safety and a better life.

While the illustrations themselves are at the heart of the book, I also want to praise Butler for the quality of his commentary. Older children and teenagers will surely appreciate the direct and unpatronising tone of his writing.

This is a very special publication. It is selected as ACHUKA Book of the Day on the day the UK’s bookshops re-open their doors after the long winter lockdown. Please look out for it.

Any young person inspired to take up location sketching may find the following title in the Urban Sketching series helpful:
The Urban Sketching Handbook Techniques for Beginners: How to Build a Practice for Sketching on Location – Urban Sketching Handbooks 11 by Suhita Shirodkar

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Filed Under: Blog, BookOfTheDay, Books, Illustrated, NonFiction, YA Tagged With: drawing, illustration, location, migration, pen and ink, war

The Smidgens by David O’Connell ill. Seb Burnett

April 8, 2021 By achuka Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 9 Apr 2021
Blackwell’s Children’s Book of the Month April 2021

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Gafferty Sprout is a Smidgen. A Smidgen looks like a human, sounds like a human, and loves chips with curry sauce like a human – if humans were three inches tall. If you took a human and shrunk it in the washing machine on a very hot spin cycle, you might get something like a Smidgen. Generations ago there were lots of them, living in a maze of tunnels beneath the human village of Dundoodle. But then something happened and they just … disappeared. Now Gafferty, her parents and her little brothers Gobkin and Grub are the only ones left, and the tunnels are forbidden territory. And then Gafferty finds an old map. A map that shows a place deep within the maze where Smidgen tribes can go to meet. Smidgen tribes! Gafferty knows that she has to try to find them. But the tunnels are dangerous. And soon Gafferty discovers she’s not the only one looking for the lost tribes, and that three inches of Smidgen hold more power than she ever imagined.

Follow Seb Burnett on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bertram_fiddle/

See some of the illustrator’s character sketches:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Seb Burnett (@bertram_fiddle)

Filed Under: Blog, BookOfTheDay, Books, Fiction, Humour

Beautiful Day!: Petite Poems for All Seasons by Rodoula Pappa ill. Seng Soun Ratanavanh

April 8, 2021 By achuka Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 8 Apr 2021

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A picture book of haiku-inspired poems celebrating the four seasons.

In simple, poetic verse, a child observes their world from spring to summer, and autumn through winter, in this gentle ode to the seasons, accompanied by exquisite illustrations [see examples]

Rodoula Pappa is a Greek author and translator.

We love Seng Soun Ratanavanh’s illustrations and strongly recommend you visit the artist’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sengsounratanavanh/

Her first book as author-illustrator, Gaspard Dans La Nuit, was recently awarded the Prix Landerneau 2021 album jeunesse.

 

 

Filed Under: Blog, BookOfTheDay, Books, Illustrated, Poetry/Tales

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