ACHUKA Children's Books UK

children's & YA recommendations on the go

You are here: Home / Archives for series

A Girl Called Joy by Jenny Valentine

By Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day Fri 23 Apr 2021
Sunday Times Children’s Book of the Week 16 May 2021

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

“Over-flowing with good humour and a fount of lively suggestions when it comes to devising new imaginative games, Joy deserves her happy ending. She even manages to bring crusty old grandpa round just as so many other small fictional children have always managed to do with their grumpy elders from Heidi and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm onwards.” Nick Tucker 5 STAR Bfk

Meet ten-year-old Joy Applebloom, a girl with a knack for finding the silver lining in even the darkest of rainclouds. After years of travelling the world with her parents and older sister, Claude (Claude rhymes with bored, which is just about right), Joy and her family move to suburbia – back to school, back to her grumpy, rule-obsessed grandad and back to normality. Joy soon finds her usual irrepressible positivity and zest for life waning, but when the powers that be threaten to pull down a mighty oak tree, Joy decides to fight back, and realizes that not all magic requires wands and spells, and perhaps the most important sort of magic is the power, resilience and courage that was there all along .

Jenny Valentine is an award-winning writer for Young Adults. Hello Now was a Sunday Times Children’s Book of the Week last year. Fire Colour One is simply one of my favourite YA novels of all time. Her first novel Finding Violet Park won the Guardian prize in 2007.

https://youtu.be/1YfhpAsPqfk

From a few years ago now, but still worth a watch: Jenny Valentine talks about some of her favourite children’s books set in London…

 

The Accidental Diary of B.U.G. (Paperback) by Jen Carney

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

The start of an exciting new series full of Billie’s laugh-out-loud observations and doodles!

There is a new girl at Billie’s school, and Billie takes it upon herself to show her around, teach her the Biscuit Laws, and remind her that yes, two women can get married (after all, Billie’s mums’ wedding is the event of the year). But then suspicion sets in. The new girl seems very close to Billie’s best friend Layla. And doesn’t she know a little too much about the latest big school heist – the theft of Mrs Robinson’s purse…?

Follow Jen Carney on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jencarney76/

Monster Doughnuts 1 by Gianna Pollero ill. Sarah Horne

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

A deliciously funny series from  new talent Gianna Pollero, illustrated by the award-winning Sarah Horne. Ten-year-old Grace likes doughnuts and cakes as much as the next kid – but they are also her secret weapon. Grace is a monster hunter who owns a bakery – and everyone knows how much monsters LOVE any kind of sweet treat! Just don’t tell them about the secret exploding baking powder inside the doughnuts and the cookies … When Grace’s Monster Scanning Machine alerts her to the doughnut-loving, people-eating, board-game-playing cyclops Mr Harris, she realises she’s about to face her biggest challenge yet…

Follow the illustrator on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahbhorne9/

Harley Hitch and the Iron Forest by Vashti Hardy ill. George Ermos

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

“a joyful mash-up of robots, conservationism and school story” GUARDIAN

First in a new series…
Join Harley, her robot dog Sprocket and best friend Cosmo for problem-solving adventures and mysteries in Inventia, a world where science rules and technology grows in the forest; and where exploding science projects, giant slugs and runaway robots are all part of a normal school day. The Iron Forest near Harley’s home is unlike any other – plants and trees grow cogs and hinges and other mechanical parts – and all of Inventia depends on it. So when a strange fungus is discovered, there’s a race to find a solution. Without essential parts for inventions, the town is quickly falling apart… But just who or what is behind the mysterious infestation? Harley decides it’s up to her to save the day – with chaotic results!

Agent Zaiba Investigates 3: The Haunted House by Annabelle Sami ill. Daniela Sosa

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

The third book in a fun, fresh and exciting new detective series, for newly independent readers.
Previously:

Determined to be the world’s greatest detective, Zaiba is always on the lookout for a crime to solve!
When a new family moves to the village, Zaiba is intrigued to hear about the strange happenings in their home. Things go missing, objects are smashed and unfriendly messages are painted on the walls. There have always been rumours that the house is haunted, but is a ghost really causing all this trouble? Zaiba and her team are convinced that the culprit is very much alive – and won’t stop until they get what they want…

Follow the illustrator Daniela Sosa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daniela.illustrations/
Follow the author on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annabellesamibooks/

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Dana Sosa (@daniela.illustrations)

Winterborne Home For Mayhem And Mystery by Ally Carter

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

“Fans of cliffhanger escapes, captures, recaptures, and surprise revelations are well served.” KIRKUS

April is one of five foster kids living at Winterborne Home, a sprawling mansion full of secrets. The biggest secret is that Gabriel Winterborne, their reclusive millionaire guardian, is actually The Sentinel, a masked vigilante tasked with protecting the city.
When Gabriel goes missing (again!) it’s up to the kids to find him before his enemies do. And when April’s past catches up with her, she will have to decide how hard she’s willing to fight to hold on to her new-found family when everyone seems determined to tear them apart …

Join April and her ragtag group of friends as they unravel family secrets, creepy legends and mysterious identities in the second book in the captivating new middle-grade series from the bestselling author of Gallagher Girls.

The Desolations of Devil’s Acre: Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

The iconic YA series reaches its thrilling conclusion as Jacob Portman, Miss Peregrine and the peculiar children reunite in Devil’s Acre for the final clash with the villainous Caul.

The last thing Jacob Portman saw before the world went dark was a terrible, familiar face. Suddenly, he and Noor are back in the place where everything began – his grandfather’s house. Jacob doesn’t know how they escaped from V’s loop to find themselves in Florida. But he does know one thing for certain: Caul has returned. After a narrow getaway from a blood-thirsty hollow, Jacob and Noor reunite with Miss Peregrine and the peculiar children in Devil’s Acre. The Acre is being plagued by desolations – weather fronts of ash and blood and bone – a terrible portent of Caul’s amassing army. Risen from the Library of Souls and more powerful than ever, Caul and his apocalyptic agenda seem unstoppable. Only one hope remains – deliver Noor to the meeting place of the seven prophesied ones. If they can decipher its secret location.

Lottie Luna and the Giant Gargoyle – Lottie Luna And The Giant Gargoyle by Vivian French ill. Nathan Reed (illustrator)

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

Fourth title in this new young fiction series by much-loved children’s author, Vivian French and illustrated by Nathan Reed. Beautiful black and white illustrations throughout.

Meet werewolf extraordinaire… Lottie Luna. She’s super-fast, super-strong and has X-ray vision. Lottie doesn’t really like to use her skills, though – she just wants to be like everyone else. But when Lottie’s school holds its yearly talent competition, she finds that she might just have to use them… if she’s going to help her friends save the day and win first prize…

3 Lottie Luna And The Fang Fairy
2 Lottie Luna And The Twilight Party
1 Lottie Luna And The Bloom Garden

Follow Nathan Reed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathanreedillo/

Freddy vs School – The Awesome Robot Chronicles 1 by Neill Cameron

By Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 21 Jan 2o21

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

A fully illustrated novel from comics creator Neill Cameron – the first title in a new series from David Fickling Books.

POW! PEW! FWOOSH! Meet Freddy – the most super-amazing superhero robot EVER. His unbelievably Amazing Robotic Abilities are mind-blowingly cool. But it turns out that teachers get really angry when you use your rocket boosters in class. Which is rather a problem for Freddy…

Adored comics creator Neill Cameron has written and illustrated a hilarious, heartfelt novel, with an unforgettable protagonist. Freddy vs School is guaranteed to make readers of all ages laugh out loud, while also providing an insightful look at diversity and celebrating children who are different. Fully integrated illustrations make the book perfect for more reluctant readers. This is the story of one superhero robot’s quest to stay in school, save his friends from disaster, and – hardest of all – stay true to himself.

See also:
How To Make Awesome Comics
Tamsin And The Dark

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neillcameron/