Category: Age 6+

Pizazz Vs The New Kid by Sophy Henn, reviewed by Niamh

Hello! My name is Niamh and I’m aged 8. I’m an avid reader and some of my favourite authors and illustrators are Laura Ellen Anderson, Steven Butler, Steven Lenton, Sophy Henn and Sophie Anderson. I want to be an author and illustrator when I’m older and I love to write and draw in my spare time. I like to recommend books to my friends at school and believe you can never have too many books, even though I’m running out of space on my bookshelves! 

About the book

The super (like, actually, with powers and stuff) series from the amazingly talented Sophy Henn, award-winning author and illustrator of Bad Nana! The perfect read for children aged 7, 8, 9 and upwards, and for fans of Dork Diaries, Tom Gates, Amelia Fang, Wimpy Kid and Dog Man.

“A SPECTACULAR superhero story that fizzes with fun on every page!” – Liz Pichon, bestselling author of the TOM GATES series.

BEING A SUPERHERO IS THE BEST THING EVER, RIGHT? WRONG! HELLO! My name is PIZAZZ and I’m a superhero … You probably think that’s really AWESOME, and while it can be, it’s also REEEEEEEAAALLLLY annoying.

I guess it was sort of going OK (I say, “sort of” – I still have to wear a silly cape and save the world all the time) until this NEW KID showed up, and started WOWING everyone with their super powers. Yep, SUPER POWERS – just what this town needs, another super . . . Who just happens to have the coolest name ever: Jett. And now, because of Serena and her gang of Populars, I have to compete against Jett in an almighty and ultimate SUPER-OFF.

But it’s fine. I mean, even if I lose, there’s space for two SUPERS in this school, isn’t there?!

Hilariously narrated by reluctant superhero Pizazz, and brimming with Sophy’s distinctive illustrations and comic-book strips. 

The House At the Edge of Magic by Amy Sparkes – review

“Sometimes you are a whisper away from magic without even realizing it.”

This is a stunner of a read and perfect for those newly confident readers who are stepping into longer chapter books and looking for an adventure.
Absolutely stuffed to the brim with fantastic characters, this is a gripping adventure with miraculous magic and lots of laugh out loud moments. Who wouldn’t want a troll housekeeper?


We love that Nine is angry and hurt and doesn’t always manage to make the right decisions. She is a joy to follow as she butts against the wondrous worlds inside the house and the dark streets she lives in.
Perfect for reading aloud to a class and for fans of The Train to Impossible Places and The Strangeworlds Travel Agency.

About the book:

Nine is an orphan pickpocket determined to escape her life in the Nest of a Thousand Treasures. When she steals a house-shaped ornament from a mysterious woman’s purse, she knocks on its tiny door and watches it grow into a huge, higgledy-piggeldy house. Inside she finds a host of magical and brilliantly funny characters, including Flabberghast – a young wizard who’s particularly competitive at hopscotch – and a hideous troll housekeeper who’s emotionally attached to his feather duster. They have been placed under an extraordinary spell, which they are desperate for Nine to break – and if she can, maybe they can offer her a new life in return…

You can get your copy here, and while stock lasts, a signed copy here

The Lost Leopard by Jonny Marx and Xuan Le

This stunning picture book follows explorers Flora, Fauna and baby Bud on an exciting action-packed journey through beautifully illustrated environments in search of the elusive clouded leopard. They travel through varied habitats and encounter lots of wildlife, all labelled for the reader to identify.

The Lost Leopard is brilliantly interactive, with fun facts, lots to spot, flaps to lift and a beautiful gatefold pull out to enjoy as you share their adventure. As well as exploring habitats and the creatures that live there, The Lost Leopard gently encourages discussion about environmental and conservation issues, with a particular focus on litter pollution.

A beautiful book with gentle humour that reveals more with every read, this is one you will want to share over and over. Perfect for ages 5+ and environment topics.

About the book:

Join Flora and Fauna, the world’s greatest explorers as they embark on an extraordinary adventure in search of an elusive species of wild cat – the clouded leopard. With flaps and paper effects throughout who knows what marvellous things they’ll encounter along the way, or what their baby, Bud, may discover on this epic odyssey.

Hardback. You can get your copy here.

Books That Feel Like a Big Hug

In times of uncertainty we try to find comfort in the day to day and one way many people find this is through reading.

Personally, the book I could return to time and time again is Moominland Midwinter by Tove Jansson. I am a big fan of the Moomins but there’s undoubtedly something very reassuring about being pulled into Moominvalley and exploring the magical snowy landscape with Moomintroll. The characters all feel like old friends and I know that if anything does go wrong, Moominmamma will make it all better somehow, either with her unerring patience and logic or with something useful stashed in her gigantic handbag.

Winnie the Pooh is another such book that welcomes me into a world of childhood innocence, joy and fun. The Hundred Acre Wood is the friendly yet slightly wild playground we all dreamt of and who else is of more comfort than Pooh himself? He’s a simple bear; surprisingly wise, completely at ease with himself and he always has honey on hand in case you feel a little peckish.

Another story for a slightly older audience that feels like a big hug is I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. It’s the coming-of-age story of teenager Cassandra who lives in an old romantic castle with her eccentric family. The narrative style, relationships between characters and the romance that entails never fail to give me warm fuzzy feelings inside.

I asked our followers on social media which books brought them the greatest comfort and these either tended to be books loved at a young age which create feelings of nostalgia, stories read by adults with their children when they were little or those that had heart warming moments within providing the warm fuzzy feelings we all love.

The Harry Potter series was a very popular choice for many, especially Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. If you combine the escapism of the magical world, the excitement at rediscovering Hogwarts, the warm embrace of familiar characters like Hagrid and Dumbledore and the nostalgia associated with this series then it’s no surprise that this was the most widespread suggestion for ultimate comfort reading.

Other suggestions included books that made people laugh like Claude in the City by Alex T. Smith, magical classic picture books read repeatedly at a young age, more modern classics such as Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson or pure magical escapism such as The Enchanted Wood series by Enid Blyton.

If you’re in need of a comforting story at the moment then call the shop on 01273911988 or email us on info@booknookuk.com, talk to a member of staff and they’ll recommend something just for you. We can deliver free locally or post to anyone outside of Brighton and Hove.

Keep reading and keep safe!

Wigglesbottom Primary: Break-Time Bunnies

All is chaos in Year 2! An unexpected visitor, a bewitched violin and an invasion of bunnies! What can it all mean?

The hilarious Wigglesbottom Primary series is back with a bang… and a lot of bunnies, in this laugh out loud book with three new stories about Class 2R and their wild imaginations.

School days are never boring at Wigglesbottom Primary and we love the way the stories race along at the same pace as Class 2R’s imaginations. These adventures are hugely relatable and super fun, showing a class of brilliantly positive and diverse children working together through every step of their adventures.

Pamela Butchart never fails to ace the imaginary leaps of young children and to celebrate the fun and excitement of childhood. Becka Moor’s illustrations bring all the energy of the characters to life and add even more comedy to the zany situations they create.

Perfect for Key Stage 1 and newly independent readers who love riotously funny stories.

You can order your copy here.

Sam Wu is Not Afraid of Zombies

We love the Sam Wu series! Highly illustrated, fun and fast-paced reads with guaranteed laughs, they never disappoint.

In Sam Wu is Not Afraid of Zombies Sam and his team are back to face their fears together as they investigate the strange noises – and smells – coming from Ralph and Regina’s Do-Not-Enter basement. Hilarity and chaos ensue as the team try to save the world from a rabid pack of zombie werewolves.

We particularly love this series for its readability, strong sense of fun and imagination and its beautifully positive and casual inclusion of diverse characters. Sam Wu is Not Afraid of Zombies includes gentle nods to the fear of being different and not fitting in and shows the reader that you will always find your people if you are brave enough to be yourself.

Perfect for fans of Pamela Butchart and a brilliant follow on from her Wigglesbottom Primary School series.

About the book:

The fifth in the slapstick, action-packed middle-grade series. Sam is conflicted about saving the day when it’s his arch-enemy Ralph Zinkerman the Third who falls foul of the zombie werewolves. Deals with common childhood fears in a sensitive and accepting way.

The Adventures of Harry Stevenson by Ali Pye

Meet Harry Stevenson. He doesn’t live in a castle, or a witch’s cottage, or anywhere exciting like that.

His home is in a flat with seven-year-old Billy and his mum and dad. And at first glance, Harry doesn’t seem any different from your average guinea pig. He has ginger fur and sparkly black eyes and likes nothing more than snacking on a piece of broccoli.

But don’t be fooled! Harry may just want to sleep and eat (and then eat some more) but somehow he always manages to get swept up in adventures: whether it’s surfing the Pacific on a picnic plate or accidentally attaching himself to a helium balloon.

This bold and brightly illustrated two-adventures-in-one book is a joy to read. Packed full of fun and illustrated throughout, this is a fantastic addition to the early reader genre. With facts and quizzes at the end of the book, it is ideal for children starting to read independently. Great for fans of Pamela Butchart’s Wigglesbottom Primary series.

You can get your copy from our online shop.

Milton the Mighty by Emma Read

Milton was strolling home after a weekend away in the downstairs loo, when he heard the scream.

He froze. It was coming from the big house human, but it wasn’t an ordinary scream. It was an all-eight-leg wobbler, as his dad would’ve said.

Surely he’s not screaming like that at me?

And that is how we meet Milton the house spider. Utterly unterrifying and occasionally mistaken for a raisin, Milton discovers he’s been branded deadly. Alongside his buddies, big hairy Ralph and daddy-long-legs Audrey, he decides to clear his name. But to succeed, Milton must befriend his house human, Zoe. Is Milton mighty enough to achieve the impossible?

Fast-paced and fabulously funny, this arachnid adventure has it all. Quirky villains, a team of heroes, a girl who knows a lot more than her parent, and some lessons in social media and fake news. Milton the Mighty also contains some super spider facts at the end.  Perfect for newly independent readers and great for KS1/ lower KS2.

Milton the Mighty by Emma Read with illustrations by Alex G Griffiths. Available now from our online shop.

How to draw… Sophie Johnson: Detective Genius

Meet Sophie Johnson: outgoing, optimistic and oblivious!

Sophie Johnson studied very hard to become a detective and it’s a good thing she did – there has been a terrible crime! Someone has stolen Lion’s tail. Unfortunately, this means that Sophie doesn’t have time to train her new (and not very good) assistant, Bella. However, is it possible that, while Sophie is busy rounding up suspects, she doesn’t see that Bella may be better than she thinks?

The Sophie Johnson series by Morag Hood and Ella Okstad is perfect for bright young minds and great fun to read aloud as children spot what’s really happening in the story right under Sophie’s nose!

Illustrator Ella Okstad has kindly created this fab ‘How to draw Sophie Johnson’ tutorial for all our budding illustrators.

We’d love to see your detective drawings! Send them to us via our twitter, instagram or facebook and we’ll create a detective gallery and show them to Ella herself! There may even be a prize for our favourite!

Thank you Ella for sharing the tutorial and inspiring future artists.

Ella Okstad loves to draw ghosts, vampires, humans, cats, and all sorts of creatures. She lives and works as an illustrator in Trondheim, Norway. When she’s not in her office creating scary, cute, or peculiar creatures for books, she enjoys spending time with her husband, three boys, and a cat. Visit her at Okstad.com or twitter/instagram – @EllaOkstad

BAME female characters in picture books

Yesterday The Guardian shared their research showing that the top 100 illustrated children’s books last year showed growing marginalisation of female and minority ethnic characters.

We take pride in stocking a diverse range of books and work hard to ensure every child can find themselves represented on our shelves. These beautifully diverse and gender-stereotype-squashing books are out there and this article highlights the importance of independent bookshops and booksellers who can get them into children’s hands.

We’ve put together a gallery of fantastic picture books that fit the criteria, available now or being published in the next few months. Look at them all! Aren’t they stunning. We would be very happy to share these books with you and will be adding them to our online shop over the next week. If you would like to order any now, contact us at the shop and we will work our bookseller magic.

Are there any brilliant books you would like to see added to our gallery? Comment on this post or get in touch via social media and share your favourites.