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Frankenkitty by Maudie Powell-Tuck ill. Mini Grey

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 15 Sep 2026

Publisher: Little Tiger 
ISBN: 9781801048613

“Powell-Tuck goes all in with her spoof of old-time horror tropes, although kids needn’t know who Boris Karloff is to be tickled. For the book’s every scare (a severed foot and hand, their bones visible), there’s a wink (in a bit of metafictive fun, the skull urges readers to opt for a story about “unicorns, beasts, or bears”). Grey, a glutton for detail, leans on menacing reds and sickly greens to capture the frights, which include, in a line for the spooky-story ages, “walls as gray as old underpants.” … A top-grade creepy/funny addition to the spooky-picture-book canon. ” KIRKUS
“Antic artwork fizzes with ghoulish glee across busy, castle-set scenes featuring splashes of electric green and orange. As skittering disembodied appendages and a cerebrum in a jar pull back a tasseled curtain on the story, the narrative voice howls with fun, skipping through horror movie tropes (“IT’S ALIVE!”) and addressing the reader (“You want to turn the page? Be warned!”). An ambiguous finale gets the last laugh in this entertaining readaloud.” PublishersWeekly

From Little Tiger’s acquisition announcement:

Mini Grey said:

As a child, I was a massive fan of all things cheesy-horror, from The Munsters to Carry On Screaming to Young Frankenstein – I loved them all. So when I had a chance to help make a funny horror-zone picture book, I had to take it! 

Maudie Powell-Tuck said:

Frankenkitty is a love letter to Gothic parody – camp, silly, mischievous and just a little bit scary. It’s been an utterly magical experience to pair up with the incredible Mini Grey, and the fabulous Little Tiger Team, to work on this book together.

Here is a tale to chill the blood and thrill the soul – a tale of spooky paws and eerie claws…The tale of Frankenkitty!

Born of stitches and lightning, Frankenkitty wanders the halls of the darketty dark castle. Everyone trembles at the sight of him. But is he really such a foul and loathsome creature? And can anyone save him before it’s too late?

Packed with deliciously dramatic narration from bestselling author Maudie Powell-Tuck and freakishly fun illustrations from Kate Greenaway Medal-winner Mini Grey, this spine-tingling tale serves as a mischievous reminder that looks can be very, very misleading.

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A post shared by Maudie Powell-Tuck (@maudiepowelltuck)

Follow Mini Grey there too:
“With Frankenkitty I got the chance to fulfil my illustration dream of making picture book pics that were a homage to all the cheesy horror films I loved when I was a kid (and older.) Scroll to see some of my faves…”

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild adapted by Bill Streatfeild, ill. Eve Coy

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 14 Sep 2026

Publisher: Hachette Children’s Group
ISBN: 9781444964493

See also illustrated by Eve Coy:
Our Gorgeous Baby [ACHUKA Book of the Day 15 Feb 2024]
Hat Cat [ACHUKA Book of the Day 2 Feb 2022]

The first official picture book adaptation of Noel Streatfeild’s Ballet Shoes, reimagined by Bill Streatfeild, nephew of Noel, and endorsed by the Streatfeild estate.

Meet Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil – three adopted sisters who share a dream of truly making something of their name.

Posy, the youngest of the sisters, loves to dance, twirl and prance. Pauline, the eldest sister, also feels happiest on stage treading the boards as an actress. But, Petrova, the middle sister, would rather be behind the scenes.

As the young girls start their journey at The Children’s Academy of Dance and Stage Training, will they be able to discover their true callings, tap into their own unique talents, and work together to achieve their dreams?

You can follow Eve Coy, the book’s illustrator, on

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Eve Coy (@eve.coy)

You can find more examples of Eve Coy’s work on this historical blog, which recounts her journey to becoming a published children’s book illustrator after working for 7 years as a 2D animator >
https://evecoy.blogspot.com/

 

Gruffalo Granny by Julia Donaldson ill. Axel Scheffler

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 11 Sep 2026

Publisher: Pan Macmillan
ISBN: 9781035065516

This is a title that needs no help from ACHUKA to be brought to people’s notice but it goes without saying that it is a publishing event that cannot be ignored.

Julia Donaldson says, “I really hope that children – and adults too – will enjoy the new story, as I know what a wonderful experience shared reading can be. I was delighted when Axel came on board, and am even more so now that I’ve seen the brilliant sketches he’s already done for the new book.”

Axel Scheffler says “…One day out of the blue there came a wonderfully clever and inspired new text by Julia. How does she do this? Could I decline? Of course not! As I have had to draw the odd Gruffalo and his daughter over the last 20 years, I’m not completely out of practice.”

Seven Babies by Forest Xiao

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 19 Sep 2026
Winner Klaus Flugge Award 2026

Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
ISBN: 9781529532807

“A sweet, rambunctious celebration of babyhood that begs for repeated readings.” KIRKUS
“Delightfully silly, Xiao’s picture book brings out the bliss and exhaustion that come with caring for little bundles of joy. A picture book within the story featuring seven peas is a humorous parallel to the babies as they stand together like a pod of their own, dressed in saturated yellow onesies adorned with playful patterns—from zigzag Z’s to cheerful polka dots—subtly hinting at each child’s distinct personality. The minimal text and soft, natural-toned backgrounds, painted in light washes of gouache and pencil, highlight the couple’s easygoing, carefree lifestyle, and their interactions with the babies are marked by a deep sense of patience and attentiveness, whether they are on the playground or doing the laundry together. A double-page spread with the couple alongside friends of all ages conveys their collective appreciation for the wonder and tenderness that infants bring into their lives. ” MUSE
“The babies’ expressive round faces recall Helen Oxenbury ’s drawings, but Xiao’s art has a zingier colour palette and a wildness of its own. It’s one of the cutest, and perhaps best, picture book portrayals of new parenthood that I’ve ever read” The Observer
“Xiao’s delightful debut, exploring the everyday chaos that comes with having a baby in your life, has a similar look (and as much warmth) as Helen Oxenbury’s A First Book for Babies series.” The Bookseller

Forest Xiao says:

“My sketchbooks from that time are full of babies – playgroups, children’s centres, playgrounds, parks, and all sorts of kids’ activities. They became a visual database for me. 90% of what the babies do in the book is inspired by real baby life.

For me, becoming a new parent has been the most unpredictable journey I have ever been on. It is a season of vulnerability, growth, and shifting identity—an ongoing lesson that is teaching me to be present, to embrace the beautiful chaos, and to accept my own limitations. It often feels impossible to balance it all: a constant see-saw between family life and my creative ambitions. And out of that came Seven Babies.

It is a celebration of the discoveries, the busyness, and the exhaustion of new parenthood —and a celebration of these all-powerful, magical little humans who change our lives forever.”

In this joyful and heartwarming debut picture book, Forest Xiao captures all the chaos, comedy and love that come with having a new baby in the family and then …multiplies it by SEVEN! Follow seven busy babies as they crawl, dribble, cry, chew, explore, play and turn everyday life upside down in the most delightful ways.

Perfect for sharing with babies, toddlers, this charming story celebrates family life, sibling relationships and the wonder of early childhood through Forest Xiao’s bold, graphic illustrations and irresistible visual humour. Packed with funny details and expressive characters, it’s a book families will enjoy reading time again and again.

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See all the books that reached the prize shortlist this year:
https://www.achuka.co.uk/blog/2026-klaus-flugge-prize-the-shortlist/

The Wonderful Pocket Family by Kazuko Matt

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 9 Sep 2026

Publisher: Do Re Mi
ISBN: 9781917933322

Another very appealing title from the new publisher Do Re Mi.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Meet the Pocket family! They love pockets.

Mr Pocket loves eating, so his pockets are filled with foodie things. Mrs Pocket has everything she needs for gardening, and fun-loving Little Pocket has lots of things to play with.

Grandpa Pocket only has his harmonica, but that’s all he needs to play a tune and get the whole Pocket family tap dancing! With their pockets full of wonderful tools and toys, it’s not long before their performance has the whole town watching!

Kazuko Matt is a Japanese illustrator and children’s book author living in Sapporo, Japan. After studying graphic design at London Polytechnic, she began her career as an illustrator for magazines and books. She has studied woodcut print at Musashino Art University in Tokyo and her books have been published in Japan, France, Italy and now the UK.

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A post shared by Kazuko Matt (@kazukomatt)

Check out her website:
https://kazmatt.com/

How to Scare Blue Monster by Petr Horácek

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 8 Sep 2026

Publisher: Otter-Barry Books
ISBN: 9781915659897

See also:
Blue Monster [ACHUKA Book of the Day 11 Sep 2024]
Little Chick [ACHUKA Book of the Day 5 Mar 2024]
The Star Whale [ACHUKA Book of the Day 19 Sep 2023]
The Perfect Present [ACHUKA Book of the Day 1 Sep 2022]
A Best Friend For Bear [ACHUKA Book of the Day 8 Apr 2022]
Mister Boo! [ACHUKA Book of the Day 28 May 2021]
The Last Tiger [ACHUKA Book of the Day 15 Oct 2019]

Look how many times we have selected books by Petr Horacek as our Book of the Day selection. That show how much we love his work. And here we have a sequel to last year’s original Blue Monster title. 

Don’t you just love the expressions in this opening spread?

When something HUGE comes clumping through the forest, all the animals are scared. But it’s only their friend, Blue Monster. Blue Monster is surprised – he doesn’t even know what it means to be scared and he asks the animals to teach him!

Fox, Wolf, Racoon and the Rabbits try lots of scary tricks but nothing scares Blue Monster. Then clever Fox has an idea…

Next time Blue Monster goes out he is all alone. He calls out for his friends but nobody replies. What’s happened to them? In his worry for his friends, now Blue Monster really is scared. But the animals have just been hiding and BOO!, they jump out, ready to play. 

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The House with the Little Red Door by Grace Easton

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 7 Sep 2026

Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd
ISBN: 9780500660553

“Easton’s stunning picture book about friendship and home has all the cosy feels. Her warm, detailed artwork is full of delightful details and beautiful papercraft flaps, meaning that young readers can spend ages looking inside fridges and food cupboards at all the tiny beautiful bits and bobs.” BookTrust
“This lift-the-flap story includes plenty of beautiful details: the various rooms in Mouse’s treehouse, the insides of would-be new homes for Mouse, and even the reveal of Mouse’s silhouette at the door in the snowy night. Pale-skinned, brown-haired Olivia makes a sweet friend for the adorable, big-eared, beady-eyed rodent. The illustrations evoke a strong sense of place and season, thanks to the carefully chosen details and well-captured outdoor elements. Readers will love poring over these richly depicted scenes and slipping into Olivia and Mouse’s inviting world. A touching tale with a relatable message: Home is where our loved ones are.” KIRKUS

There are so-so lift-the-flap-books and then there are high-class lift-the-flap books. This is one of the classy ones. And Grace Easton has let us know via Instagram (see below) that there’s to be a return to the Red Door in 2027. 
This first Red Door title is now out in paperback.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Grace Easton (@higraceeaston)

What makes a house a home? This sweet story, with jaw-dropping illustrations, is the perfect cosy tale for bedtime. 

Olivia lives in a house with a little red door. Mouse lives in an oak tree behind the house. When a storm blows the oak tree down, Olivia tries her best to find a new house for her neighbour, but are any of the houses the right home?

When Mouse loses his old oak tree home in a snowstorm, his neighbour Olivia offers many different options for a new house, but none are quite right. It is only when she offers a place in her own house with the little red door that it becomes a home for both of them.

Illustrator Grace Easton brings her expressive character illustration and beautiful hand-painted scenery to a story of two lonely neighbours finding friendship in the face of a disaster. 22 die-cut flaps reveal details around the cosy setting, bringing dimension to a story sure to bring warmth to a cold winter’s bedtime.

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A Wild Lullaby by Jackie Morris ill. Cathy Fisher

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 4 sep 2026

Publisher: Otter-Barry Books
ISBN: 9781915659934

See also (by the same author-illustrator team):
The Summer Puppy [ACHUKA Book of the Day 20 Jun 2025]
The Panda’s Child [ACHUKA Book of the Day 10 October 2023]

A third Book of the Day recommendation for this author-illustrator team. As this is very much a book for reading aloud, and Jackie Morris’s lullaby is loosely poetic rather than tightly rhyming and rhythmic, I would recommend the adult read it to themselves beforehand.

A mother sings to her child, describing the ways wild creatures across the world lull their babies to sleep – whales in the sea, fledgling ospreys in their nest, bear cubs in their ice den, seals on the shore, ponies on the heath, the snow leopard family in the high rocks, and tigers in the deepest jungle.

The lyrical story (“written for my grandchild, Cai, and for all young dreamers”). is enriched by Cathy Fisher’s gorgeous animal paintings, realistic yet magical, evoking a sense of tenderness and peace across our wild world.

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Paper Chase by Julia Donaldson ill. Victoria Sandøy

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 2 Sep 2026

Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 9780702348709

“The simple, circular tale is both a generous explanation of how humans consume natural resources and a subtle reminder that these are gifts to be respected. An author’s note emphasizes that ‘trees are precious’ and encourages youngsters to recycle this very book should it eventually fall apart. Perfectly satisfying.” KIRKUS

We didn’t list this when it was published in hardback last year. Not sure why but I can only imagine it was because we felt a new book from Julia Donaldson needed no extra recommending from us. Nevertheless, we’re pleased that the release of the paperback gives us the opportunity to correct that omission. As you can see below, the illustrations and the panelled layout are very pleasing. And Donaldson’s rhyming rhythms are as perfect as ever.

A captivating paper chase, and an unforgettable adventure…Two children meet under a tall tree. James has a book. Ginger has a paper plane. They become friends…but then they’re parted. Will they ever meet again? 

But this isn’t just James and Ginger’s story: it’s a paper chase!

Much-loved storyteller Julia Donaldson weaves the children’s tale of friendship into the amazing story of how paper is made.

With perfect, read-aloud rhymes and glowing illustrations by Victoria Sandøy, this is a story of friendship and adventure like no other.

Victoria Sandøy is a Norwegian illustrator based in Oslo. She studied illustration in the UK, graduating with a first-class degree from Falmouth University. You can follow her on

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Victoria Sandøy (@victoriasand)

 

Mix and Match Inventors by Jane Wilsher ill. Mar Hernández

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 2 Sep 2026

Publisher: Post Wave 
ISBN: 9781836271017

Here’s a clever twist on the usual mix-and-match animals/creatures concept…

 

 
 
 
 
 
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If you could invent anything, what would it be? If there were no limitations to your creativity, how far would you go? This book makes the reader the inventor, and with over 450 variations, the sky is the limit when it comes to the contraptions you can create. From star-powered submarines to dream-powered space rockets, and flush-powered bicycles to solar-powered toilets, you can create the wildest, most unbelievable inventions ever seen on planet Earth.

With bright, bold illustrations by Mar Hernández and brilliant facts, become the inventor of your own future.

Mar Hernández (Malota) is a Spanish illustrator based in València. She started working as a designer and art director until she decided to focus entirely on illustration. You can follow her on

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by MALOTA – Mar Hernández (@marmalota)

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