Karen's gorgeous, atmospheric and descriptive writing takes her characters from the teeming streets of New York out into the prairies and wilderness of the true wild west, and to faces new and old, welcoming and most unwelcome. Absolutely essential for fans of "Little Women" and "Little House on the Prairie"

"Little Bird Lands" by Karen McCombie is out on 6th February 2020, published by Nosy Crow. 

Next up we're shifting continents away from the U S of A and back to Europe - Venice to be precise for the superb and atmospheric "The Mask of Aribella" by Anna Hoghton.

Aribella is the daughter of an impoverished lace-maker, working tirelessly to try and eke out a living amongst the rich and well-to-do. But Aribella is no ordinary child, she has a power she doesn't understand - unleashed by her temper, a strange magic erupts from her fingertips.

As dissenting voices cry "Witch" Aribella decides to flee the city, but could unwittingly be the only thing that stands between its destruction and the dark forces of evil that are rising from the lagoon.

Thankfully she is taken under the wing of a mysterious stranger, and introduced to the world of the Cannovacci, a mysterious warrior caste who have devoted their lives over generations to protecting Venice and its people.

Is Aribella up to the challenge of joining them?

Taut, thrilling writing and a brilliant original setting mark this out as a standout early title for Chicken House's 2020 range.

"The Mask of Aribella" by Anna Hoghton is out now, published by Chicken House. 

Something fun for younger readers next, with the 2nd book in Nick East's superb secret agent adventure series.

"Agent Weasel and the Abominable Dr Snow" by Nick East sees the illustrator flexing his author muscles for a second outing accompanying the weasel with a nose for adventure on a snow-bound mystery as the Winter Whopper Games opens.

Agent Weasel is called in as animal athletes begin to disappear. Soon, rumours of a mysterious snow beast swirl like a blizzard around the athlete camp, and Agent Weasel and his trusty sidekick Doorkins must work out what's going on.

This story cracks along at a blistering pace, as Weasel and Doorkins begin to unravel the mystery, hopefully popping back home in time for a well deserved cup of hot chocolate (marshmallows and sprinkles too, of course!)

Fab stuff for readers finding their own confidence in solo reading, who love animal antics as much as we do.

"Agent Weasel and the Abominable Dr Snow" by Nick East is out now, published by Hodder Children's Books. 

More fun stuff for younger readers with fab screams, squeaks and scares in "Ghoul Scouts: Welcome to Camp Croak!" by Taylor Dolan.

Lexie Wilde was pretty sure she was supposed to be joining the Happy Hollow Camp for Joyful Boys and Girls for the summer. So why did her Grams just drop her off under a big ol' sign saying WELCOME TO CAMP CROAK? 

And is she really sharing a cabin with a werewolf, a skeleton, a fancy-schmancy zombie and a baseball-hat-wearing ghost? Yep, looks like she is!

But after earning some rather unusual Ghoul Scout badges, Lexie becomes the best of friends with her new pals, and before long is one of the team. However, danger lurks as the wicked Euphemia Vile has plans of her own. And when their beloved camp counsellors succumb to an odd sleeping sickness, Lexie and her new friends become suspicious ... can they overcome the saccharine sweetness of their new Scoutmaster and save Camp Croak?

The laughs come thick and fast in this illustrated chapter book, perfect for newly confident solo readers who still like their text laced with awesome images. 

"Ghoul Scouts: Welcome to Camp Croak!" by Taylor Dolan is out on 6th February 2020, published by Guppy Books. 

We've sneaked a peek at Chicken House's amazing lineup for 2020, kicking off with "Demelza and the Spectre Detectors" by Holly Rivers. 

Can she somehow make these two unique skill sets work together? She may need to, as her beloved Granny has been kidnapped by a nefarious ne'er do well, and Granny's own nosey nature when it comes to spectre-detecting may have something to do with this tricky case. 

Only Demelza and her pasty best friend, Percy, can solve the deadly mystery before Granny ends up on the other side herself!

A brilliant mix of originality, spookiness and fun, "Demelza and the Spectre Detectors is out on 6th February 2020, published by Chicken House. 

Next up, one of the most hotly anticipated Middle Grade titles of 2020 surely? Well we like to think
so, in fact we've been wondering what beetle-obsessed M.G Leonard might get up to next. 

Along with Sam Sedgeman and Elisa Paganelli on cover illustration and interior illustration duties, they've cooked up the first in the "Adventures on Trains" series, "The Highland Falcon Thief. 

Harrison Beck is reluctantly joining his travel-writer Uncle Nat for the last journey of the royal train, The Highland Falcon. 

But as the train makes its way to Scotland, a priceless brooch goes missing, and things are suddenly a lot more interesting. As suspicions and accusations run high among the passengers, Harrison begins to investigate and uncovers a few surprises along the way. 

Can he solve the mystery of the jewel thief and catch the culprit before they reach the end of the line?

We've become a bit jaded with the constant stream of 'detective' middle grade books, so trust M.G and Sam to come up with something wholly original, full of mystery and suspense, a fabulous setting - and we've long been saying there aren't nearly enough train-based books around in early years or middle grade. This is a doozy where you can actually help solve the mystery alongside Harrison, page by page making this something truly special indeed. 

Brilliant stuff, don't miss "The Highland Falcon Thief" by M.G Leonard, Sam Sedgman and Elisa Paganelli - out TODAY! YAY! and published by Macmillan Children's Books. 

You can't kick off a new year without at least one Tom McLaughlin book in your reading pile, and as topical as ever, Tom has brilliantly nailed the subject of those pesky Echos / Alexas / Siris in "Attack of the Smart Speakers". 

Underneath their seemingly innocent exterior of helpfulness and usefulness, these nefarious devices are plotting the downfall of humanity, eventually morphing into mobile menaces with spidery limbs, ready to enslave humanity.  

It's up to Tyler to bravely make a stand. Can these nasty little menaces be stopped before everyone ends up zombified by their favourite playlists, or recipes for chocolate brownies? 

Filled with Tom's trademark awesome humour, this is bang on topic - particularly if you got one of these annoying things for Christmas (we won't allow them in the house at ReadItDaddy Towers, particularly if the durned things start sprouting legs and walking around!)

"Attack of the Smart Speakers" by Tom McLaughlin is out now, published by OUP / Oxford Children's Books. 

The 6th of February is something of a booky avalanche so we're going to devote the next section to a ton of releases out on that date. Including one that really caught our eye, a turn for the distinctly weird and wonderful in a book that felt heavily inspired by the glorious "Gravity Falls" TV show.

In "The Bigwoof Conspiracy" by Dashe Roberts, you'll get a ghoulish welcome to the world of Sticky Pines - where things get weird!

Lucy Sladan, pretty similar to a 12 year old me, is totally obsessed with UFOs and her home town is just the right place to live for those drawn to the strange, the unusual and downright sinister.

Sneaking out in the middle of a thunderstorm to try and investigate the odd disappearances in her home town, Lucy is drawn into a grand conspiracy surrounding a giant menacing and hairy creature.

Meeting Milo Fisher, a mysterious 13 year old stranger, Lucy begins to form an alliance with this peculiar chap - to try and discover what's really going on in Sticky Pines. With all the elements we love in a mystery book, and a fantastic dose of chills and spookiness, it's an absolutely cracking debut from Dashe. "The Bigwoof Conspiracy" by Dashe Roberts is out on 6th February 2020, published by Nosy Crow. 


More suspense and mystery and a completely engaging set of characters find their way into "Otto Tattercoat and the Forest of Lost Things" by Matilda Woods, illustrated by Kathrin Honesta.

It begins on familiar ground, as we first meet Otto - living in the City of Hodorf, a city locked in a seemingly eternal winter.

Otto's mother has disappeared and soon Otto's desperation drives him into the company of a band of orphans known as the Tattercoats - who vow to help Otto track down his missing mum.

So begins a quest across the land, through dark forests inhabited by witches and sinister magic, and through the caverns where sleeping dragons wait to snap up anyone who dares enter their domain.

Woven in the finest storytelling traditions where the magical and mythical setting still managed to ensnare kids who can identify with Otto's struggle to be brave and courageous in the face of such adversity, Matilda's glorious descriptive prose draws up a first adventure for the Tattercoats and Otto that will immediately hook you in. Plus there are dragons in this book, and you just cannot go wrong with dragons, right?

"Otto Tattercoat and the Forest of Lost Things" by Matilda Woods and Kathrin Honesta is out on 6th February 2020, published by Scholastic.


Something fun for younger readers now, with a highly illustrated and brilliantly colourful new adventure for a very special porcine fella indeed.

"Unipiggle - the Unicorn Pig" by Hannah Shaw begins with a very difficult decision for a young princess. Today is the day she will select her own special Unicorn friend from the grand parade. But instead Princess Pea meets more than she bargained for. Not quite a unicorn, but a unipiggle!

Princess Pea is no ordinary princess either. She can't eat sweets because her mum wants the whole kingdom to have perfect teeth (bit weird, but thanks Mum!) - Of course Princess Pea hates salad, but perhaps her newfound friend might be able to help?

Unsure at first, Princess Pea begins to realise that there's far more to making friends than judging a book by its cover - but this book will definitely give you a fun and riotous romp for readers who love a giggle giggle or two.

"Unipiggle - The Unicorn Pig" by Hannah Shaw is out on 6th February 2020, published by Usborne. 

If you're still feeling mildly traumatised from watching the recent "Cats" movie, perhaps you need something a bit more - well - super! Step forward Gwyneth Rees with a fantastic new action packed middle grade series with superb illustrations from Becka Moor.

"Super Cats v Maximus Fang" builds on the story of Tagg and Sugarfoot - two very special moggies who have developed super-powers.

Recruited by the mysterious Topaz Top Cat, the two heroes are pitted against a mean super villain, Maximus Fang, who is set on breaking his criminal buddy out of cat jail, ready for one last stupendous and nefarious job.

In order to get more information, Tagg and Sugarfoot will need to infiltrate Hamish's infamous band of Hit Cats. They are going to need all their wits - and superpowers - about them this time!

Fast-paced and great for kids beginning to find their own reading confidence, but still packed with awesome illustrations from one of our fave artists, "Supercats v Maximus Fang" by Gwyneth Rees is out on 6th February 2020, published by Bloomsbury. 

We've got room for one more very special book, from an author who completely blows us away with sheer talent for designing the sort of book worlds we love to spend as much time in as possible...

"A Sprinkle of Sorcery" by Michelle Harrison is the next brilliant book following on from the sublime "A Pinch of Magic" reuniting us with The Widdershins Sisters.

Now free to leave the cursed prison isle of Crowstone, Betty Fliss and Charlie feel like they deserve a well-earned rest.

But they meet a stranger, a mysterious girl who arrives at "The Poachers Pocket" with a weird tale, a will-o-the-wisp, a pocketful of hagstones and a cry for help.

So the girls are once again drawn into an adventure, but when Charlie goes missing, Betty and Fliss must find their way through the murk and mists of sinister marshes to an island that seems to appear out of nowhere, and mysteriously doesn't appear on any maps. What is the stranger's link with this weird place and what on earth has happened to poor Charlie?

You know what you're in for with Michelle's fabulous books. You're in for page-turning cliffhanger adventuring of the finest order, with characters who make you cheer and root for them at every twist and turn, and a setting that always has a magical sheen to it, and a dark side that will completely envelop you and draw you in.

"A Sprinkle of Sorcery" by Michelle Harrison is out on 6th February 2020, published by Simon and Schuster Children's Books. 


Be prepared for all manner of strange goings on in a new novel from A.M. Howell.

"The House of One Hundred Clocks" takes us back in time to 1905, and a time where the world felt like it was still coasting the wave of amazing advances in technology and science - and yet people were still intrigued by mystery and magic.

Meet young Helena, and her pet parrot Orbit - uprooted from their comfortable home to the streets of Cambridge where Helena's father is appointed chief clock-winder to one of the wealthiest men in the country. His job is simple but succinct - never let any of the clocks wind down and stop!

The House of 100 Clocks holds more than just ticking timepieces, it's a house where mysterious occurences happen almost on a daily basis. Ghostly figures flit just out of eyeshot, and the clock winding keys frequently go missing. Strange notes appear, and soon Helena gets the distinct impression that they're definitely not alone in the house - strange supernatural forces are at work. Can she be brave and solve the mystery before the last clock ticks out its time?

Utterly enchanting stuff, with just the right chilling atmosphere to drive a story that is tightly written and brilliantly addictive.

"The House of One Hundred Clocks" by A.M. Howell is out on 6th February 2020, published by Usborne. 

(All books kindly supplied for review).

So that's a cracking start to our Chapter Book Roundups for 2020! We hope you'll drop by again soon for our next monthly roundup of all the amazing stuff coming your way in Middle Grade and YA fiction. 

Mom gets a potty, and Moo practices sitting on it until, finally...success! Moo can progress to grown-up underpants that he can pull up and down--which means he can go to the Monster Pant Party with all his little potty-trained friends.

Sum this book up in a sentence: Zany illustrations and laugh-out-loud humor makes this the perfect potty-training tool for all toddlers and their parents.
"Put Your Botty on the Potty" by Sam Lloyd is out now, published by Pavilion Children's Books (Kindly supplied for review). 

As a child, he spent hours in the science library, collating his own specimens and creating a mini animal museum. 

When he was old enough to go to university, he studied science and zoology – but what he wanted most of all was to be close to the animals he was studying. So, he started working in television, visiting animals in their natural habitats and telling the world the untold stories of these animals. 

This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the broadcaster's life.

Sum this book up in a sentence: Many children will already be familiar with David's amazing TV shows but this book brilliantly shows his journey through life, and hopefully will inspire them to tread their own path towards helping save our planet, and living more in harmony with the creatures we share it with. 

"Little People Big Dreams: David Attenborough" by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara and Mikyo Noh is out now, published by Frances Lincoln Children's Books (kindly supplied for review). 

Thank goodness for books like "Find Your Girl Squad" by Dr Angharad Rudkin & Ruth Fitzgerald. Books that speak to tweens and teens in their own language, which to most adults might sound like something encrypted and indecipherable.

The key messages in this book are built around loving yourself first, being happy in your own circumstances and of course in your own skin, and seeing how your nuances and character can help you find like-minded BFFs.

Having already coasted on the crest of some of the 'drama' that usually stems from school with our daughter, both my wife and I know that the landscape we might've been familiar with when we were at school has vastly changed, and continues to change - and sometimes even for teens and tweens who fully embrace it all and understand their own situations, it's quite a lot to take in.

The book takes an unusual approach. Rather than dishing up a cold 'wall of text' full of sage advice, it introduces Poppy - a character who has all sorts of the usual dilemmas tweens and teens encounter at school.

Dr Angharad Rudkin and author Ruth Fitzgerald are there to help with positive, practical advice. As you follow Poppy's trials and tribulations, you'll discover the secrets to finding your own ultimate girl squad - one which loves you for YOU.

Sum this book up in a sentence: A truly inspirational and worthy contender for your tween or teen's attention, filled with the sort of gold-dust advice that they'll need to navigate the troubled waters of senior school and beyond.

"Find your Girl Squad" by Dr Angharad Rudkin and Ruth Fitzgerald is out now, published by Wren and Rook (kindly supplied for review). 

Yeah, that line - that'll get to you if nothing else does...!

Alfie wants Izzy to know that he misses her of course, but also not to be sad because Doggy Heaven is absolutely BRILLIANT!  There are postmen to chase, angels to tickle his tummy, and he never even has to take a bath! 

Can Alfie's letters comfort Izzy, even just a tiny bit?

Sum this book up in a sentence: Beautifully and sensitively observed, not shying away from the subject of loss but hopefully helping kids to imagine their own family pets having a wonderful afterlife. 

"Love from Alfie McPoonst, the Best Dog Ever" by Dawn McNiff and Patricia Metola is out now, published by Walker Books (kindly supplied for review). 

Energy comes in a vast array of different forms - using our muscles and those of other creatures, enabling us to move, lift etc, creating heat and steam through fire, capturing the power of the wind in a ship's sails or to turn the blades of a wind turbine, harnessing the power of moving water to generate electricity in a hydroelectric power station, applying the forces of magnetism to turn an electric motor, using solar panels to transfer the sun's energy into electricity for our homes (Phew! And that's just for starters!)

The book brings these amazing achievements to life in a totally absorbing and engaging way, making science feel more accessible, and perhaps inspiring youngsters to become young scientists themselves. 

Sum this book up in a sentence: A fantastic book that delves deep into the subject of how we create, distribute and use energy every day, at school, in our homes and everywhere!

"Discovering Energy" by Professor Veronica Sanz, Johannes Hirn and Eduard Altarriba is out now, published by Button Books (kindly supplied for review). 

"A Giant Dose of Gross" by Andy Seed and Claire Almon is out now, published by QED (kindly supplied for review). 

But her parents felt differently. Naming their daughter Courageous Hero, they encouraged her love of learning and science. 

This engaging biography follows Wu Chien Shiung as she battles sexism at home and racism in the United States to become what Newsweek magazine called the Queen of Physics for her work on how atoms split. 

Wu Chien Shuing became the first woman hired as an instructor by Princeton University, the first woman elected President of the American Physical Society, the first scientist to have an asteroid named after her when she was still alive, and many other honours.

Sum this book up in a sentence: This book offers a fascinating glimpse at Wu Chien Shuing's life, and is a hugely positive and inspirational piece of work, showing that girls can achieve whatever they want to once the obstacles of prejudice and sexism are removed (as they should be!)

"Queen of Physics" by Teresa Robeson and Rebecca Huang is out now, published by Sterling (kindly supplied for review).