Wanda the witch is so shy she can’t talk at school. No matter how hard she tries, the words simply won't come out. But when another quiet little witch named Flo joins her class, it seems that Wanda’s not the only one who gets nervous sometimes. Then disaster strikes at the school-wide magic contest. Will Wanda have the courage to shout out the magic words and save her new friend?

For anyone going through a difficult passage, this uplifting, beautifully illustrated picture book is about finding optimism in the darkest of places. Rain before rainbows, clouds before sun, night before daybreak—a new day’s begun. In this heartfelt story about courage, change, and moving on, a girl and her companion fox travel together away from a sorrowful past, through challenging and stormy times, toward color and light and life. Along the way they find friends to guide and support them, and when the new day dawns, it is full of promise. With gorgeous, richly realized illustrations and immense hope at its heart, Rain Before Rainbows holds out a ray of sunshine for anyone looking for light.

The Sunday Times Children's Book of the Year. Children's Book of the Week in both the Times and Guardian. The Misadventures of Frederick is a funny, joyful story about friendship and the delights of outdoor adventures (even for the accident-prone) – wonderfully written by the talented Ben Manley and beautifully illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark, creator of Plumdog and Blue Kangaroo. In a mansion surrounded by lakes and forests, Frederick is bored. He leads a very sheltered life: and when Emily invites him to play outside he has no choice but to refuse – what if he hurts himself? Much better to stay safely indoors. But Emily is not one to take no for an answer . . . A series of brilliantly funny and evocative letters between Frederick and Emily tell this unique story which weaves together the colourful, adventurous world of Emily with Frederick's drab life of boredom and safety.

From the illustrator of The Girl and The Dinosaur comes a heartwarming, magical picture book about what it means to be a friend. Little Witchling lives alone on her mountain top, and more than anything else, she wishes for a friend. When her spell book tells her that the secret ingredient to conjuring a friend is the fur from a little girl's favorite teddy bear, she knows what she must do. But the bear belongs to Lily, who can't bear to part with him. Will the Little Witchling give up her dream of a real friend? Or maybe there's a way for her and Lily to make the wish come true together . . . With heartwarming rhyming text from Lu Fraser, and beautiful illustrations from Sarah Massini, this magical friendship story is perfect for little witches everywhere!

Raven, Leila, and Brooklyn Cartel have each found joy and success in the lives they have dedicated to the memory of their mother, Wanda. Referred to as "Wanda's Girls" for their entire lives, the Cartel sisters struggled to find the comforts they now enjoy—comforts their single mother pushed them to attain. They each want to be happy, but there's something in their way. Their father's negative actions in and subsequent absence from their lives affect each sister differently, but all three share a desire to have nothing to do with him or that side of their family. Enter Brandice Cartel. Younger than the three sisters she has just learned of, Brandice is mourning the death of the father she's admired and adored. She is happy to honor his dying wish: to locate her sisters and give them a special message from him. That is, until it becomes painfully clear that the older Cartel women want nothing to do with her. In a devastating turn of events, the sisters are forced to face the pain, heartache, betrayal, and love they share in an effort to attain true happiness. The Cartel women must ask themselves if happiness is what they really want ... or if bitterness provides them more comfort than they had realized.

Age range 3 to 6 An upbeat story about a confident little boy who takes pride in his first day of nursery. Starting kindergarten is a big milestone -- and the hero of this story is ready to make his mark! He's dressed himself, eaten a pile of pancakes, and can't wait to be a part of a whole new kingdom of kids. The day will be jam-packed, but he's up to the challenge, taking new experiences in stride with his infectious enthusiasm. And afterward, he can't wait to tell his proud parents all about his achievements -- and then wake up to start another day. 'Necessary nourishment, infectiously joyous.' -- Kirkus, starred review 'This is a king whose power comes from self respect and kindess toward all the members of his diverse classroom.' -- The New York Times

A wonderfully witty take on a much-loved fairy tale, The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Book celebrates the magic of reading and storytelling, and being kind to others. When Ben's mum gets distracted halfway through his bedtime story, he decides to finish the tale himself. There's only one problem – he can't quite read yet. To Ben's surprise, the three little pigs come knocking on the door, and the big bad wolf isn't far behind ... But this time, will the story have a different ending? A playful rhyming story by Lucy Rowland, with hilarious illustrations from Ben Mantle.