By Ash, Oak and Thorn, Melissa Harrison
A stroll through the natural world with Cumulus, Moss and Burnet, the guardians of the Wild World. They are the Hidden Folk, small, unseen beings, alive for hundreds of years - witnesses to the changing landscape, custodians of trees and streams and the keepers of knowledge. When Cumulus, the oldest of the three, starts becoming invisible they must set off an adventure to discover why.
The lilting prose, the beauty of every single description made me smile. You'll come away with handfuls of facts that will change the way you look at your environment. I can imagine many children reading this book and checking for Hidden Folk in the crevices of an oak tree. 9+
Beautiful Planet Earth
Sona Sharma Looking After Planet Earth, Chitra Soundar
Another gentle, warm-hearted story set in India about young Sona and her family. This time, Sona is desperate to help her precious planet earth and combat climate change. With the help of her kind, patient family - Amma, Appa, Thatha and Paatti - she makes sense of things and learns that small changes can have huge impact too.
A brilliantly charming series for young readers that seems to really get to the heart of young children's worries, with perfect illustrations by Jen Khatun. I'm a big fan. 6+
Sci-Fi Adventure
The Memory Thieves, Darren Simpson
Really inventive sci-fi adventure, with inventive world-building, engaging characters and a handful of pretty nasty syringe-toting villains. It's also a book about the power of speaking out, being heard and realising that everyone is harbouring fears of some sort or another.
The story is set at the Elsewhere Sanctuary. Young boys and girls are stripped of their memories of harrowing events and negative emotions by the scientists that run the place;
This reprieve from hurt and pain, although seemingly palatable at first, has more sinister scientific tinkering at its heart. 10+