If you could read with the animals

It’s an animal-filled world this summer. First up is Silly Doggy (Templar, £10.99) by Adam Stower. Lily wakes up one morning and sees a dog in her garden. He’s quite a big dog and has a strange growl but Lily loves him. When his real owner claims him, Lily is sad but not for long because the next day she finds a cat. Illustrated in warm and safe tones, Lily and doggy are immediately engaging and small children will want to be friends with them. And they will enjoy working out what is really happening. Adam Stower tells one story and shows us another in this hilarious tale of mistaken identity.

Bouncy Bouncy Bedtime (Egmont, £10.99) is written by David Bedford and illustrated by Russell Julian. Perfect for bedtime reading, the start is full of energy as lots of animals prepare to go to bed. But gradually they get sleepy and settle down. The beautiful illustrations are in muted tones and soft shades but are vital nonetheless; the sleepy animal faces are comforting. And the whole book has a relaxing feel to it.

In contrast Wanda and the Alien (Red Fox, £9.99) by Sue Hendra is full of fluorescent colours. Wanda meets an alien one fine summer’s day and tries to introduce him to her friends. But they have all vanished so Wanda and the alien have fun together, proving that “friends come in all shapes and sizes”. The simple shapes and vibrant colours are just right for small children who are sure to be drawn into the happy and straightforward story.

Finally comes Solomon Crocodile (Macmillan, £10.99) by Catherine Rayner. Solomon thinks it’s fun to tease the other animals but he meets his match with the hippos. It’s not so much fun then when no-one will play with him. But soon someone new comes crawling towards him. Who can it be? Solomon is just threatening enough to cause a tingle of fear without being seriously scary. The illustrations draw in the reader with their warm tones and the facial expressions are reassuring, making Solomon a crocodile children will be happy to meet.

4-6 Years

The Fabulous Flapdoodles (Scholastic, £6.99) sees the welcome return of the partnership of Chae Strathie and Emily Golden. Chae’s rhyming text tells of the tiny creatures who fly around on broomsticks made for six. They only come out at night and love to have fun but, at the same time, they keep away all the monsters and other scaries who might otherwise keep you from sleeping. The text is funny and lulling at the same time but the illustrations will keep young listeners awake. Their vivid colours bring the mischievous midgets to life and there is energy and movement in Emily’s every splendid line. This is a book sure to be asked for again and again – and not just by children.

In Rhinos Don’t Eat Pancakes (Simon and Schuster, £5.99), Daisy’s mum and dad always seem to be too busy to listen to her properly and, when a large purple rhino strolls into the kitchen one day and starts eating her pancakes, they pay no attention. But Daisy and the rhino become friends and she realises that the purple visitor misses his family too. Anna Kemp’s heartwarming story is told simply but with humour and emotion. And at the hands of Sara Ogilvie, all the characters are brought expressively to life. Daisy’s indignation, resignation and exultation are palpable as the story progresses. This is a cleverly paced story with a chilly twist at the end.

Children who know their fairy tales will love Good Little Wolf (Jonathan Cape, £5.99) by Nadia Shireen. Everyone knows that wolves are big and bad – except for Rolf. He is a wolf but he’s good and he likes being good. One day he meets a wolf of the big and bad variety and has to prove his wolfly credentials. You’ll have to read right to the end to see who has the last laugh. Nadia Shireen’s debut is funny, clever and there’s not a moral in sight

Katie in Scotland (Orchard Books, £10.99) is bursting at the seams with clichés. Nessie, the Forth Bridge, Highland Games, Edinburgh Castle: they’re all here. But they are all so accurately and so charmingly drawn by James Mayhew that it would be hard to take exception. The book as a whole is an enjoyable story about Katie’s Scottish holiday with her brother Jack and their Grandma. But it is for the pictures that this book will be loved. They bring the story to life and are so full of detail and contrast that children and adults alike will always find something new.

7-10 Years

How do you put your village on the map and stop some unscrupulous types bulldozing it so they can build a waste incinerator? Set as many world records as possible, of course, and have them officially verified. Simple! To find out if Luke achieves this and meet a wild selection of eccentric locals in Port Bren, read For the Record by Ellie Irving (Bodley Head, £10.99). Funny and fast, this is an engaging story with colourful characters, ridiculous records and the occasional serious moment.

Just One More (Gecko Press, £7.99) written by Joy Cowley and illustrated by Gavin Bishop is a collection of short stories ideal for reading aloud or for confident readers to enjoy on their own. The stories are unrelated and diverse, featuring a dragon living in a library, a horse riding an escalator and a former pirate making a living as a bus driver. They are lively and fast-moving with an occasional twist and colourful illustrations bring the unusual characters to life.

Charlotte Voake’s Little Guide to Trees (Eden Project, £7.99) is a delightful book to be read and studied time and again. With its accompanying text by Kate Petty and Jo Elworthy it is a treasure trove of fascinating facts about trees, but it is the illustrations that give it its charm. The sketch style lends itself to an informal and intimate look at these dominators of our everyday landscape. At the end of the book is a scrapbook section with space for young tree lovers to document their own experience of trees. And, with all the simply presented information in the book, both written and drawn, even I will be able to identify the trees around me.

Just about to be published is the long awaited sequel to Muddle Earth, Muddle Earth Too. (Macmillan, £12.99). Chris Riddell and Paul Stewart join forces in a hilarious, fantastic romp featuring Joe the Barbarian. By accident he finds himself back in Muddle Earth and this time he has a match to win.

With references to, and spoofs on, almost every fantasy novel published, this is a laugh-out-loud joy. Chris Riddell’s characteristic illustrations bring the characters to life. This is a perfect book for all lovers of fantasy.

9-12 Years

Halfway between fact and fiction is Milicent’s Book by Charlotte Moore (Catnip, £6.99). The story uses the real-life diary of Milicent Ludlow to create the story of a year in her life. At 14, she is the youngest sibling in a recently orphaned family and this is a year that will see great changes in her life as her older sister prepares to marry and her brother goes off to India. Where, Milicent wonders, does she fit in and how will her life turn out?

Set towards the end of the 19th century, society is also changing and perhaps Milicent will have more opportunities than she realises. This is a quiet story with much lying unstated just beneath the surface for the discerning reader to pick up.

If you can get past the rather sickly cover, Forget Me Not (Red Fox, £5.99) by Jo Cotterill is a welcome addition to the world of fiction for girls who like their stories well-written, peopled by believable characters and set in the real world. Kate is still trying to come to terms with her mother’s death and her father’s withdrawal.

Working for the summer at the local garden centre, she meets Simon and feels that life must have a grudge against her. Gradually, however, they develop a working relationship and both discover that you really shouldn’t judge a book by its cover!

Dreamer Ballerina by Sarah Rubin (Chicken House, £6.99) is set in 1950s USA and is Casey’s story. More than anything Casey wants to learn to dance but her family has little money. She borrows ballet books from the library, climbs up walls to watch the local ballet school and dances as she walks and she dreams. And then one day the chance of a lifetime presents itself. But can she take it?

In spite of its title, this is a book grounded in reality that will appeal to young readers regardless of their interest in ballet. Sarah Rubin has created strong, complex and diverse characters in this, her first, novel.

Operation Eiffel Tower by Elen Caldecott (Bloomsbury, £5.99) is the story of a few weeks in the life of the Dempsey family. All is not well in their world. Lauren knows that their parents are on the verge of splitting up and Jack is trying to convince himself it isn’t true. When it finally happens, they and their younger siblings launch Operation Eiffel Tower in an attempt to get their parents back together. Elen Caldecott has written a light and funny story without trivialising or sensationalising a difficult subject. She avoids merely tackling an issue and instead has produced a very readable and warm story.