From the luminescent cover lighting up a border of plants to the deer stalker wearing dog detective, this junior comic is colourful, charming and amusing. Detective Stanley and the Green Thumbed Thief is the sequel to Detective Stanley and the Mystery at the Museum; this time the self-effacing introverted Stanley (named after Stanley Bay in Auckland) uses his knowledge and skills to ponder on the mystery of a disappearing orchid.
Inspired by Astrid Lindgren’s 1981 book Ronya, The Robber’s Daughter, which blends fantastical creatures with a medieval setting, and Carpenter’s Catweazle, where a wizard is transported to another time, Welford’s tenth novel follows the adventures of a pompous alien prince.
Inspired by Lipinski’s non-binary character Jamie Rambeau, and the world of non-binary skateboarder Alana Smith, this empathetic story of schoolgirl and skater boy Elliott is heart-warming. Emotional words about identity meet with expressive and moody monochrome panels depicting the inner struggle of a teen trying to be three people in their search for their true self.
Self-deprecating Orla is a giver, forever the sidekick, who neglects her own dreams, sacrificing herself to the needs of her demanding family, until her semi-sib Roks encourages her to apply for a drama course that changes her life. Structured like a cross between a diary and a script, the story follows Orla’s emotional journey over the space of a fortnight in December.
Which continents will have secrets to explore? Which will remain undiscovered? Which artist’s work has been stolen more than eighty times? Where can you find a Terracotta Army? What is the Amber Room? Where is the wreck of The Titanic? Readers can wile away an afternoon as they explore this fascinating book. Encompassing archaeology, the history of art, palaeontology, history, and geography, this book is an immersive odyssey of armchair travelling across the globe.
In a beautiful city torn apart by the ugliness of war, Nour and her cousin dream of a safe space where they can feed their imaginations. This evocative picture book by a Lebanese writer and a Romanian illustrator is inspired by the true Syrian story of Daraya’s secret library that brought hope to its citizens.
