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The Little House that Needed a Witch by Sophie Pluim tr. Polly Lawson

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 5 May 2026

Publisher: Floris Books
ISBN: 9781782509837

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The Runaway Pancake [ACHUKA Book of the Day 31 Jan 2025]

Yes, they keep on coming! Yet another wonderful picture book in translation from Floris Books. In this one, a witch’s house must go on a journey to find a new occupant.

Deep in the forest sat a little witch’s house, but the old witch who’d lived there had gone for good. The little house felt empty and alone. As the seasons changed, grass grew tall around it and mushrooms began to sprout from its roof. The little house knew it must find a new witch or it would fall down.

She was so old even her wrinkles were wrinkled.

What to do? Creaking, the little house stood up and set out on a journey. Would it find a witch in need of a house?

This is a charming original fairy tale from Sophie Pluim, illustrator of The Runaway Pancake. It is the first picture book she has written as well as illustrated.

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The Big Journey by Michael Rosen ill. Daniel Egnéus

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 2 Mar 2026

Publisher: Bloomsbury 
ISBN: 9781526671578

See also:
The Big Dreaming [ACHUKA Book of the Day 3 Nov 2023]

A story of hope, love and resilience.

Big Bear and Little Bear are going on a Big Journey to find a new home.

So begins a grand adventure, as two bears set out on an epic journey over the mountains, drawing on all their courage and resilience to see them safely to the other side.

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Pip’s Trip Around the World by Fanny Joly ill. Lorenzo Sangio

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 3 Jul 2025

Waterstones
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See also, by the same illustrator:
Wolfgang And The Magic Of Music [ACHUKA Book of the Day 3 Dec 2024]

When an alley cat named Pip finds a ticket for a round-the-world trip that nobody wants, the scene is set for a globetrotting adventure.

Follow Pip from Paris to Tokyo and from India to Brazil and beyond, and meet a wonderful world of international cats. Enchanting illustrations are packed with delightful details.

First published in France as The Incredible World Tour of the Cat Bebert.

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Bringing Back Kay-Kay by Dev Kothari

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 9 Apr 2024

Waterstones
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“Compelling debut…” The Times
“The value of having a voice is key to this plot, as is the value of the arts. It is an accomplished debut novel – finely balanced between action and emotion.” BookTrust

A MG debut with one of the best covers of the season.

When Lena’s beloved older brother goes missing at the end of summer camp, the bottom drops out of Lena’s world. The police dismiss Kay-Kay’s disappearance as that of just another teenage runaway, but Lena knows they are wrong. Tired of not being listened to, powerless to reach her parents through their grief and unable to imagine a future without her brother in it, Lena sets off to find him.

As Lena journeys across India to retrace Kay-Kay’s last known steps, she embarks on a parallel journey of discovery. Because it seems there is a side to Kay-Kay she has never known. The more she learns about her brother in the weeks leading up to his disappearance, the more determined Lena is to find him – and to finally be the sister he has so clearly needed. But will she be too late…?

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Speck: An Itty-Bitty Epic by Margaux Meganck

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 2 Apr 2024

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“The subtle and potent connection between us and these tiny specks makes for a poignant, reflective story that’s every bit as relevant to children as it is to adults. Meganck remarkably finds a way to make our great smallness in the wide world a convincing comfort. Deeply moving.” KIRKUS

Everything and everyone has a place in the universe, but for a little speck, lost at sea, it will take an extraordinary journey to find it.

Deep in a tide pool, too small to see,
Thousands of tiny specks go forth.
Each one searching
for a place to stay, and grow, and thrive…

The little speck does not know what it is, only that it wishes to find out. And so it embarks on a journey across the sea. From sun-flecked surf to darkest depths, past schools of fish, storm-tossed ships and hungry eels…. Until, at last, it finds exactly what it was looking for: a place to belong.

In vivid watercolour paintings, Margaux Meganck brings this tale to life, seamlessly shifting perspective to show how even the tiniest creatures — every barnacle, every child, every star in the sky — contributes to something greater than itself.

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L is for Love by Atinuke ill. Angela Brooksbank

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From the creators B Is for Baby comes L Is for Love, a beautiful first book of words perfect for pre-schoolers learning their ABC. Children will love sounding out the words in this playful, adventurous and vibrantly illustrated story set in West Africa.

L is for Luscious Lemons. LOOK! L is for Lazy Lions. L is for Lagos. L is for Love.

A whole family set off to sell their luscious lemons at the market in Lagos. They leave before dawn with lamps in hand and loads on heads. They have quite an adventure ahead of them … over logs, on a leaky lorry, through lightning, past lions and leopards until eventually reaching Lagos. The city is bustling and loud – there are lots of legs to get lost between! – but they can finally sell their luscious lemons.

The illustrator says:

My favourite thing about illustrating Atinuke’s books is getting really absorbed into the African setting by looking for pictures of everything in the text. I look for colours, patterns and atmosphere. From the people, to the buildings to the crafts to the pink dusty earth on the roads. I research everythiing as much as I can so that my pictures feel authentic. The sunshine can be a little elusive in London so I love to imagine being so hot that flip flops must be worn every day!

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Peace on Earth by Smriti Halls ill. David Litchfield

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 29 Nov 2023

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“An extended poem with a beautiful visual narrative.” Just Imagine

A happy band of friends journey together, but dark clouds threaten their friendship and they lose their way in a story that starts in the safety of the happy and familiar, then goes on to explore the difficulty of discord and hurt; what it means to lose and find peace again; the bravery it takes to be a peace-maker; and the joy that peace ushers in. From smiles to small gestures, to natural beauty, we discover that while peace isn’t always easy to find, it makes love and friendship whole.

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Are We There Yet? by Sven Voelker

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 26 May 2023

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“A sensitive script, touches of humor, and a captivating design combine for an excursion readers will want to repeat.” KIRKUS

Bear wakes up after his long winter’s sleep and joins his friend, Butterfly, on a journey. Where are we going? Asks bear. All journeys have secret destinations, says Butterfly. They walk through the forest, climb a steep mountain and cross a great river. At all points, Butterfly has wisdom to offer about overcoming hardship, facing ones’ fears, or being in the moment. Bear is impatient, but he listens and mulls over Butterfly’s insights.

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As they walk, the seasons change; from spring to summer and then to autumn. As the first snow begins to fall, Bear and Butterfly find themselves outside a cave. Don’t I recognise this cave? asks bear. Landscapes look different with different eyes, says Butterfly. Bear curls up, his eyes heavy. Will you be here when I wake up, he asks. In some senses yes and in some senses no, replies Butterfly. The end of one journey is the beginning of another.

This is a heartwarming book about friendship and about circles and cycles of life and being. It is a sweet and calming bedtime story that introduces Buddhist philosophies and values to young readers.

Sven Völker is an author, artist and graphic designer from Berlin. He is a picture book maker and professor for graphic design at the University of Applied Sciences in Potsdam. Follow him on Instagram:

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Safe by Vanessa Harbour

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5-Star BfK review

In the chaotic last days of World War II, Jakob and Kizzy are tricked into a life or death journey. Far from home, they are attacked and only just escape. They hide in a seemingly deserted mansion, but they keep hearing strange noises… Investigating, they find it shelters not only forty abandoned horses but a small band of lost children, displaced by the war. With danger on every side, can Kizzy and Jakob keep them safe and get them all home?

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The Wind Child by Gabriela Houston

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 21 Feb 2022

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Packed with a colourful Slavic cast of tempestuous gods and frightening monsters, this is above all a story about friendship, and how far you would go and what you would sacrifice to avoid saying goodbye to someone you love.

No human has ever returned from Navia, the Slavic afterlife. But twelve-year-old Mara is not entirely human. She is the granddaughter of Stribog, the god of winter winds and she’s determined to bring her beloved father back from the dead. Though powerless, Mara and her best friend Torniv, the bear-shifter, set out on an epic journey to defy the gods and rescue her father. On their epic journey they will bargain with forest lords, free goddesses from enchantments, sail the stormy seas in a ship made of gold and dodge the cooking pot of the villainous Baba Latingorka. Little do the intrepid duo know of the terrible forces they have set in motion, for the world is full of darkness and Mara will have to rely on her wits to survive.

Growing up, I spent most of my summers in Mazury, the Polish lake district. The expansive leafy forests surround the reed-growing ponds and lakes. Walking, mushroom picking and, of course, swimming (wild swimming, as people in the UK would call it, but, honestly, growing up I knew no other kind) filled my days, but I was ever aware of the dangers there, should I be foolish or careless. Swimming in the night under the moon is wonderful, but swim out too far or be over confident and you will drown. The mushrooms and berries are great, but you have to know what you’re picking, because there are plenty enough opportunities to poison yourself, should you forage carelessly. The forests lure you in with lush green and their calm, but don’t walk too close to the fresh wild boar tracks, and don’t mistake the lush grass-covered marshes for solid land.
Gabriela Houston, writing for tripfiction.com

The author cohosts Bookish Take on YouTube. Follow her on Instagram: