ACHUKA Children's Books UK

children's & YA recommendations on the go

You are here: Home / Archives for Illustrated

Dog Gone by Rob Biddulph

By Leave a Comment

A brand-new, wonderfully waggy story of one dog day afternoon, from the genius behind the #DrawWithRob phenomenon and the bestselling and award-winning Blown Away.

Every dog has his Dave (or otherwise-named human)… but on a walk in the park, the adorable Teddy the pug, loses his! And when Teddy finds himself at the shed of the TERRIBLE TROLL in the woods, he might find more than he bargained for… a new friend. Packed with delight, dogs, and even a Dave, this hilariously funny and exquisitely illustrated new book from the incredible Rob Biddulph, the creative star behind the viral and phenomenal #DrawWithRob, will have you panting for more!

Waterstones
Amazon

Butterfly Brain by Laura Dockrill ill. Gwen Millward

By Leave a Comment

Everyone is always shouting at Gus to stop leaning back in his chair – but does he care? No way! Then sure enough, the chair falls, he cracks his head and has to spend all summer in bed. Out of the crack escape his memories, dreams and imagination … and a beautiful little butterfly guide. Gus must follow the butterfly to recapture all he’s lost, including that locked box he doesn’t seem to want to touch … Together they remember fish fingers, snapping bubble wrap, cracked pink soap and the leaky tap; they go wild, stomping around in the joy of imagination and happy dreams – but they can’t go any further if Gus won’t gather all of his memories. His butterfly will die unless Gus is ready to hear about his mum … A delightful and moving exploration of grief and the joy that makes us human, from the effervescent voice of Laura Dockrill, with heartwarming full-colour illustrations from Gwen Millward.
 
Follow the illustrator on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gwenmillward/
 

Just One Of Those Days by Jill Murphy

By Leave a Comment

The Bear family, from Murphy’s classic picture book Peace at Last (published more than 40 years ago), make a triumphant return with this tale of a day where things keep going wrong. 

It had been a long night… so Mr and Mrs Bear woke up late. When Mr and Mrs Bear wake up late, it’s raining outside – and Baby Bear is late for nursery. Then Mrs Bear sits on her glasses at work and Mr Bear spills his coffee! Oh dear – it seems this is just going to be one of those days! But the loveable Bear family muddle through cheerfully, and there’s even a surprise for Baby Bear when Mr Bear gets home from work.

With all the hallmarks of an instant classic, Just One of Those Days is a gentle, warm story about a family day, which parents and children everywhere will relate to – full of satisfying read-aloud repetition and rhythm – and with Jill Murphy’s instantly recognisable,cosily-lit illustrations.

Waterstones
Amazon

Pippi Longstocking Goes Aboard by Astrid Lindgren ill. Lauren Child

By Leave a Comment

This gift edition illustrated by Lauren Child is a glorious celebratory tribute to the strongest girl in the world in her 75th anniversary year. A previous Pippi Longstocking gift edition, also illustrated by Lauren Child, was published in 2007 and has sold over 300,000 copies.

Pippi Longstocking lives in Villa Villekulla with a horse, a monkey, and a big suitcase full of gold coins. Pippi and her friends Tommy and Annika have the best time together-going to the fair, buying ALL the sweets in the sweet shop, and getting shipwrecked for the weekend. But the fun might stop all too soon if Pippi agrees to go back to sea with her father.

The Waterstones edition is signed by Lauren Child.

Waterstones
Amazon

The Hospital Dog by Julia Donaldson ill. Sara Ogilvie

By Leave a Comment

The bookplates (in the Waterstones edition only) are signed by both author and illustrator.
Written by the brilliant Julia Donaldson and stunningly illustrated by the award-winning Sara Ogilvie, The Hospital Dog is a big-hearted tale about a very special, very brave dog.

Here is a dog, a Dalmatian called Dot,
Is she quite ordinary? NO, SHE’S NOT!

After their breakfast and a swim in the sea, Dot and her owner Rose jump on the bus to the hospital. Dot loves visiting the children of Wallaby Ward and they’re always pleased to see her too; from a crying baby to a bored teenager – a pat, a stroke and a cuddle with Dot cheers everyone up. But the work of the hospital dog doesn’t stop there and when one of her patients is in trouble, it’s up to Dot to save the day!

Waterstones
Amazon

 

You Choose Fairy Tales by Pippa Goodhart ill. Nick Sharratt (illustrator)

By Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 23 Sep 2020

I remember how useful the first You Choose book (published in the early 2000s) was when I was still working fulltime in school, so it’s splendid to see that the concept is still being refreshed.

Following the success of  YOU CHOOSE, YOU CHOOSE YOUR DREAMS and YOU CHOOSE IN SPACE here comes another fabulous collaboration between Pippa Goodhart and Nick Sharratt.

Make up your very own fairy tale adventure where YOU CHOOSE what happens next!

Which fairy tale hero would you like to be today? Where will you go on your fairy tale quest? And what fairy tale baddy would you least like to meet? The possibilities are infinite in this captivating creative toolkit which will inspire children from three up to make their own stories again and again.

Waterstones
Amazon

 

The House By The Lake by Thomas Harding ill. Britta Teckentrup

By Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 22 Sep 2020

A beautiful picture-book adaptation of Thomas Harding’s Costa-shortlisted biography for adults, exquisitely illustrated by Britta Teckentrup. With words that read like a haunting fairy-tale, and magnificent artwork by Britta Teckentrup, this is the astonishing true story of the house by the lake.

On the outskirts of Berlin, a wooden cottage stands on the shore of a lake. Over the course of a century, this little house played host to a loving Jewish family, a renowned Nazi composer, wartime refugees and a Stasi informant. In that time, a world war came and went, and the Berlin Wall was built a stone’s throw from the cottage’s back door.  Thomas Harding first shared this remarkable story in his Costa-shortlisted biography The House by the Lake – now he has rendered it into a deeply moving picture-book for young readers. 

Waterstones
Amazon

Mason Mooney, Paranormal Investigator by Seaerra Miller

By Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day Mon 21 Sep 2020

New graphic novel title from Flying Eye and Seaerra Miller, already well-known as illustrator of the Hilda  companion (to the Netflix series) books.

Join Paranormal Investigator Mason Mooney as he tackles ghosts, witches and grumpy teenagers to prove once and for all who is the REAL talent in the world of paranormal creatures. If anyone can figure out what’s going on in Grimbrook’s most haunted house – it’s him, and no one else. But with an evil curse looming, can Mason finally prove to the Society of Peculiar Paranormal Phenomena that he’s the best around – or is he a bit out of his depth?

Packed with evil curses, haunted houses, quirky characters and a town full of unexplained phenomena, this is the first title in a projected series. 

Seaerra Miller grew up in Wyoming and studied art in Portland. She has recently signed a deal with Little Brown  for two middle-grade graphic novels… So, someone to watch.

Follow Seaerra on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seaerram/

Waterstones
Amazon

This Small Blue Dot by Zeno Sworder

By Leave a Comment

The creator of this picture book tells us (in the video below) that his Chines grandmother (a painter) and his English father (a teacher of philosophy) taught him that to make a great piece of writing or a good drawing, two of the key ingredients are boredom and solitude. This book suggests that he would add to those ingredients, a good dessert now and again. 

With a strong message of interconnectedness, hope and empowerment, This Small Blue Dot follows a little girl exploring the big and small things in life. From contemplating our place on this ‘blue dot’ to the best Italian, Chinese and Indian desserts, the book provides a broader, more inclusive view of who we are, where we come from and where our dreams may take us.

Follow Zeno on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zenosworder/

Waterstones
Amazon

 

Winnie And Wilbur Around The World by Valerie Thomas & Korky Paul

By Leave a Comment

Winnie and Wilbur are visiting the wild animals from their library book in real life. It’s exciting to journey by magic all around the world, but there is trouble for our travellers when the animals get hungry.

A whistle-stop tour full of hilarious slapstick fun, with plenty of details to pore over in Korky Paul’s intricate and spellbinding artwork. The best-selling Winnie and Wilbur series has been delighting readers since 1987.

Waterstones
Amazon