More riveting reads from the bookshelf Escape the autumn wind and curl up on the sofa with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book. MELTDOWN!
ZOG AND THE FLYING DOCTORS
Jill Murphy
Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
Meltdown! is the latest creation of the much-loved, awardwinning author and illustrator Jill Murphy, best known for her Worst Witch series and the wonderfully observed Large family. Echoing Mrs Large’s endless quest for peace from the little ones, this newest venture follows Ruby, an excitable young bunny, who goes grocery shopping with her mum, with typically hilarious/disastrous results. Murphy possesses that wonderful, rare gift – delighting children and parents in equal measure with her colourful, unvarnished accounts of everyday family life.
Continuing on the dragon theme, this recently published picture book by everyone’s favourite duo (The Gruffalo / Stick Man) is the long-awaited sequel to Zog,, the popular tale of an accident-prone dragon. Zog and his friends fly to the rescue of a distressed unicorn, a sneezy lion and, yes, a sunburnt mermaid! As we’ve all come to expect, Scheffler’s vivid illustrations are the perfect foil for Donaldson’s rhymes, helping to bring them to life in glorious colour.
THE BALLAD OF MORGOWR
MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN
Judy Scrimshaw
Morgowr is a mythical ‘sea giant’, a plesiosaur living in the waters around Cornwall, featured here in the first of many adventures. Another Cornwall-based author-illustrator, Judy lovingly brings Morgowr to life with beautiful illustrations and captivating rhymes melding history and fantasy in a fabulous read. Produced entirely – and yes, even printed – right here in Cornwall, Judy is helping to keep the dialect alive, by introducing Cornish words in each of her books. Look out for her equally enthralling Morwenna Pendragon adventures too.
Ransom Riggs
The older readers will lose themselves in the enchanting world of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. Already fast turning into a modern children’s classic, and the first in a series, this delightfully odd story was recently turned into a film by the godfather of gothic, Tim Burton. While the home is actually set on a remote island off the coast of Wales, parts of the film were filmed right here in Cornwall, including at Caerhays Estate and Porthluney Cove.
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