Macmillan Children's Books

Eleven-year-old Alex’s whole world turns upside down when his untimely death means that he is now a vampire. You’d think that being a vampire would mean lots of cool superpowers and a whole new way of life, but not for Alex. His parents insist that he carries on with his (after)life as though everything is perfectly normal. This means school, swim trials, and secrets as he can’t reveal the truth to anyone, not even his best friends Archie and Mia.

With its cameras, curfews, DNA testing and elite police force, the town of Moonhaven is supposed to be werewolf-proof – so where did that howl come from on the last full moon?

A chill blast opens this book, as we enter a world that has only known winter for twelve years, and where no child has been born in this time. There is a sense of desperation around a ceremony of fire lighting created to restore the usual cycles of nature. The villagers are looking for hope wherever they can find it, but quiet and cautious Quill is probably the last person they would expect to discover it in.

Following the success of Griffith’s best-selling Treehouse series, the You and Me series follows a similar cast of characters undertaking madcap adventures. The characters of You and Me are recalling their deepest and darkest adventure involving a Peanut Butter Beast. Along the journey they encounter a talking rock and two talking knuckleheads whilst also finding the time to wander through a mushroom forest and encounter a war between peanuts and mini-beasts! That does not even scratch the surface of the overall content of what lies within the pages – confused? I am not surprised!

There’s nothing drib drab about this book. Containing all sorts of unlikely creatures and concepts – the Uncertain Curtain, the Slug of Knowledge, the Laughing Leaves, Mubbles, Wibbles, and, yes, Drib Drabs – it is set on the Isle of Smile and unfolds in brightly coloured comic book form.

A mobile phone mix-up means that Rafa and his gang from school (including a very cool teacher who is obsessed with Shakespeare) get involved in the making of a Hollywood movie. The film set and all its trappings is a wonderland of adventure and excitement for these likeable kids.

Mermaid’s Diary is sure to make a splash in the homes of many young readers this summer. It tells the tale of a young mermaid who is trying to save her beautiful cove and home from the dangers of progress and yet another golf course! New friends, old friends, and family join forces to save something that deserves to be preserved in its own natural beauty. As a teaching moment, this story feels like a great way to discuss protecting ecosystems and nature in general.

Six Queens is a richly illustrated and evocatively written book that breathes new life into the oft-repeated rhyme ‘Divorced, beheaded, died. Divorced, beheaded, survived’ by peeling back the layers of myth and silence that have long hidden the lives of Henry VIII’s six wives.

Although Puffin is desperate to be part of her mother’s research on the mythical kuri of Linger Island, she is often left in the dark due to her age. When Puffin learns that scientist Professor Smoult plans to steal the healing power of the last kuri, a mythical wildcat, along with her friend Lance, she rescues Trouble, the last kuri in the hopes of returning it home.

This informative book with excellent illustrations is the perfect guide for young people navigating the digital world there they are bombarded with hot takes, calls to ‘cancel’ problematic individuals, trolls, fake news and celebrity sales pitches.