Action and Adventure

Our story opens with friends Krish, Pete, and Nancy attempting to focus on a biology lesson when an unusual incident disrupts their class and sets off a chain of events that catapult our protagonists to the epicentre of a gripping adventure. Hopping onto their bikes, and speeding through the sleepy village of Crooked Oak, our three heroes are about to become embroiled in a mystery worthy of their favourite website, the Mystery Shed, a source for strange and unexplained events. Faced with a daunting task of utmost importance, the young detectives must get to work!

The Book Family Robinson tells the story of the bookish Robinson family. Their love of literature goes all the way down to Baby Charlie, who rereads his favourite board book constantly. When they decide to go on a sailing holiday, they make sure to pack up their library to bring with them.

Grab your binoculars and hop on board this jungle river cruise; Kate and Rupert are back with another case to solve, and they need your help! Ever heard of a bird called the Silver Wibbler? Well, after reading this book, you’ll know all about it…or will you? Join Kate and her trustee sidekick Rupert the mouse for their second adventure, trekking through the jungle, being led by the call of this mysterious bird. Will they be able to track it down in time?

Author Sam Sedgman dedicates Epic Adventures to his parents, who taught him ‘to travel.’ This is an apt dedication because Sedgman's love for travel and adventure permeates this beautifully illustrated, informative book.

The book invites its reader to take epic train journeys across six continents and thirty-four countries, stopping off at several cities along the way. Sam Brewster's detailed illustrations set alongside plenty of interesting facts will leave readers of all ages pouring over the pages. This is a book that readers are likely to want to return to repeatedly.

Arnold, the seafaring elephant of this book’s title, meets disaster with apparent equanimity and an endearing ingenuity in a warm and enjoyable adventure. Arnold’s tendency to rush in gets him into scrapes with the series of characters who could potentially rescue him from shipwreck but in the process of trying to solve those problems he actually makes Elephant Island ‘too much fun to leave.’ In the end, the book reminds us that life’s difficulties can also result in the things most precious to us.

Rosa lives with her grandmother, Nan, on Big Sky Mountain, a wild and magical place where animals can talk and where everybody, be they animal or human, is made to feel welcome. When a big storm sends a lost wolf cub to their door, Rosa and her grandmother find themselves on a mission to find the cub’s family. Things are made more complicated by the fact that Stick, the little cub, is very clearly a wolf, and everybody is very, very frightened of wolves. If Stick is to find a safe home, Rosa and her animal friends must face up to their fears.

In 12th century Korea, Tree-ear watches the master potter Min at work. He knows every potter in his village – but from their rubbish heaps, as they work away from prying eyes. Only Min works in plain view, and Tree-ear knows his routine. After breaking one of his pieces, Tree-ear offers to work for Min to pay for the damage.

A joyful romp through the complexities of socioeconomic class in colourful 1990s Nigeria, Jummy at the River School follows Jummy as she wins and accepts a place at a prestigious boarding school. She is thrilled to explore this new world of friendly faces, midnight feasts, and fierce athletic competitions, but it is a struggle leaving her best friend behind to work with her family.

This non-fiction picturebook captures life in modern Ireland, giving snapshots of events and places all over the island. The selection of the scenes themselves is a great strength of this charming book; each one is carefully chosen so that we can all relate to them. Whether we’ve visited the exact place depicted, such as the English Market in Cork, or one similar, the text carefully avoids being too particular or specific so as not to alienate.

Caitlyn McCabe lives in fear of any of her classmates touching her and discovering her strange secret. That is until Professor Sackimun Brody orchestrates a school-related trip in order to meet her. Caitlyn subsequently learns there is more to her gift and more to her parents’ past than she ever realised. She steps into the Second Realm and discovers something sinister is leaking in from the Third Realm, that if unleashed, will compromise the order of all three.