ACHUKA Children's Books UK

children's & YA recommendations on the go

You are here: Home / Archives for Gift

Weirdo by Zadie Smith & Nick Laird ill. Magenta Fox

By Leave a Comment

Indie Book of the Month April 2021

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by 🌻Magenta Fox🌻 (@madge_fox)

Meet Maud: a guinea pig who inexplicably wears a judo suit – and not everyone understands or approves. When Maud is thrown into a new and confusing situation, it takes brave decisions and serendipitous encounters for her to find her place and embrace her individuality.

The charming characters of Magenta Fox, whose work is evocative of Raymond Briggs and Janet Ahlberg, perfectly offset Zadie and Nick’s warm, wry prose.

Weirdo is an endearing story about the quiet power of being different by two veteran writers, and introduces an exciting debut illustrator. Together they have created a picture book that adults and children alike will treasure.

Follow the illustrator on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madge_fox/

Nature Trail by Benjamin Zephaniah ill. Nila Aye

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

A joyful celebration of nature and the wonder of the world around us by legendary poet and performer Benjamin Zephaniah.

At the bottom of my garden, there’s a hedgehog and a frog,
And a lot of creepy-crawlies living underneath a log…

All around us, from parks to gardens and flowerpots to pavements, there’s a world of wonder just waiting to be discovered. Why not look a little closer and see what you find? This joyful celebration of nature reminds us all to take a closer look at the world around us, and enjoy the wonder of nature wherever we find it. Packed with animals and minibeasts galore, this imaginative rhyming text is perfect for reading aloud.

The Queen’s Wardrobe: The Story of Queen Elizabeth II and Her Clothes by Julia Golding ill. Kate Hindley

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

Written by the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize-winning Julia Golding, The Queen’s Wardrobe is packed with fascinating stories and astounding facts about our record-breaking Queen. The detailed, humorous and colourful artwork from bestselling Kate Hindley shows what it’s really like to grow up as a princess. The story of the life of Queen Elizabeth II, told through her clothes and jewellery – and a gorgeous gift to treasure. A big beautiful book to celebrate the Queen’s 95th birthday in style!

Did you know the Queen’s crown weighs as much as a bag of potatoes? Or that she has her own tartan nobody else is allowed to wear?

Chickenology: The Ultimate Encyclopedia by Barbara Sandri & Francesco Giubbilini ill. Camilla Pintonato

By Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 26 Mar 2021

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

“Beginning with advice for young readers on how to differentiate between (adult) hens and roosters and identify different types and colorations and feathers and a survey of the inner and outer anatomy of a chicken, the book is a cheerful, if not scientific, overview for curious kids.” KIRKUS

Welcome to the wonderful world of chickens! This beloved barnyard bird is full of surprises. Did you know some chickens are so small they can perch in the palm of your hand, and others have feathers that look like a beard? Chickens can learn to count up to four and have excellent hearing-many even like to listen to music!

Originating from Italy, this book takes young readers (and grown-ups) on a fascinating and informative tour of chickens. Discover the incredible variety of chickens with different origins, breeds, and feather patterns, delve into chicken anatomy and evolution, and even learn the basics of chicken care. With a playful tone and irresistibly charming illustrations by rising star Camilla Pintonato, this lively visual encyclopedia presents chickens in all of their feathered glory.

Follow the Venice-based illustrator on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/camilla_pintonato/

Look out for the forthcoming Pigology from the same publisher, Princeton Architectural Press.

Hello, Mum by Polly Dunbar

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

Polly Dunbar is an award-winning illustrator who usually draws for children rather than adults, but when she had her own sons, she started recording the beautiful and maddening moments of parenthood with a doodle. Hello, Mum is her visual diary of the magical highs and absurd lows that many parents will recognise – from the shock and awe of the baby days to the delight (and terror) of the toddler years and the mayhem of sibling rivalry. Dunbar’s fantastically funny, wise and enchanting drawings capture this precious and fleeting time with heart-touching perfection.

Polly Dunbar also illustrated Can Bears Ski? an ACHUKA Book of the Day 24 Mar 2021.

Hilda’s Book of Beasts and Spirits by Emily Hibbs ill. Jason Chan P.L.

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

For fans of Netflix’s hit animated Hilda series, this gorgeous illustrated guide to magical beings from the Wood Man to giant hounds will keep young adventurers spellbound. Stunning paintings of each beast or spirit are paired with surprising information and extra detail about their lives and habits.

Deep in the Trolberg Library is a book that tells of giants and elves, woffs and deer foxes, and all manner of creatures from the Wilderness to the centre of town. Dedicated adventurers can find out all about them from Hilda’s very own copy of the book – and she’s made a lot of helpful additions!

Follow Jason Chan P.L. on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onlyparkland/

Winter Tales by Dawn Casey ill. Zanna Goldhawk

By Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 12 Feb 2021

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

A treasury of stories celebrating the wonders of winter, and the qualities within that warm our hearts through the long cold. Particularly relevant in the week of its selection as Book of the Day, with the UK gripped in an icy blast.

The book, published Autumn 2020, brings together a selection of wintery tales from all over the world – from North America to Siberia, Scotland, France, Russia and Norway. It has beautifully detailed artwork by illustrator Zanna Goldhawk, and is a book to be treasured in any family’s home library.

Follow Zanna Goldhawk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zannagoldhawk/

Illustrated products are available from the online shop Papiopress, jointly owned with her husband and co-illustrator, Harry.

Kaleidoscope Of Creatures – The colours of nature explained by Cath Are ill. Greer Stothers

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

Why are animals so amazingly colourful? Find out in this kaleidoscopic look at the technicolour world of animals. Meet animals of every colour of the rainbow and find out why they are the colours and patterns they are. Discover the reason why some animals are stripy and others are spotty.

Why do some creatures deliberately pop out while others strive to blend in?
Why are some bright to warn off others while others only pretend to look toxic?
Why are some male animals so much more flamboyant than their female counterparts?Why do some babies look so different from the grown-ups in their families?

A beautifully illustrated first look at the colourful and kaleidoscopic world of animals for young children.

Greer Stothers is an award-winning Canadian illustrator with a background in evolutionary biology.

The Bad Beginning 20th anniversary gift edition – A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket ill. Brett Helquist

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

The Bad Beginning was the first book in the globally bestselling series A Series of Unfortunate Events.

This exclusive gold foiled 20th anniversary hardback gift edition commemorates the miserable fact that every child in the world has wanted this brilliantly funny book for twenty years.