June 2023 Book Recommendations

Tiddler is late to school every day, and he always has an elaborate excuse for his teacher. One day, as Tiddler is thinking up his next story, a net sweeps him up and hauls him far away from his school. How will Tiddler find his way home? All he has to do is follow the trail of his biggest, fishiest story yet!

Full of bright colour and bouncy repetition, this engaging book makes a fun introduction to the wonders of story-telling!

For every parent or teacher who knows the boundless creativity of a perpetually late child, this shows how telling excuses can turn into telling stories to be shared with friends and family. And with a bouncy, bubbly rhyme and vibrant undersea illustrations, Tiddler is sure to become a summertime, read-aloud favourite.

From the creators behind The Gruffalo is a delightful tale of adventure and friendship with Julia Donaldson's trademark rhyming text and Axel Scheffler's brilliant characterful illustrations an unparalleled partnership.  When a tiny snail meets a humpback whale, the two travel together to far-off lands. It's a dream come true for the snail, who has never left home before. But when the whale swims too close to shore, will the snail be able to save her new friend?

Twelve-year-old Jess and Jude live a dream life on a battered old yacht, sailing from one exotic destination to the next with their guardian. But when he vanishes one night after an argument with a stranger, the twins are left alone, facing an incoming storm and an unknown enemy.

Surviving at sea is just the start of an adventure that will take them an ocean away to the former home of their missing parents and pit them against one of the world’s most powerful men. How far do they dare go, and what will they risk, to find the truth about who they are really are?

Wave Riders from Lauren St John is an exciting and compelling middle-grade tale of sailing, family, and identity.

An exciting historical adventure from War Horse author and former Children's Laureate Michael Morpurgo, Why the Whales Came brings the emotional reality of conflict to life for younger readers. 

When a whale is discovered stranded on the sand, some want to rescue it, while others in the village think it is the harvest of the sea and theirs to kill. Set on the Scilly Isles during World War I, this is a magical, suspenseful tale of an unlikely friendship, a mysterious curse and a divided island community.

With harpoons strapped to their backs, the proud whales of Bathsheba's pod live for the hunt, fighting in the ongoing war against the world of men. When they attack a ship bobbing on the surface of the Abyss, they expect to find easy prey. Instead, they find the trail of a myth, a monster, perhaps the devil himself...

As their relentless Captain leads the chase, they embark on a final, vengeful hunt, one that will forever change the worlds of both whales and men.