If you’re looking for a thrilling page-turner to read beside the Christmas tree this year, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got the perfect books for readers who love scintillating stories that bring them to the edge of their seat. There’s murder, mayhem, magic, monsters, and more in the following reading list. Add some mince pie and you’ve got your reading adventure sorted.
Why not start your action-packed reading journey with the first book in the incredible new series from the author of Percy Jackson, the Kane Chronicles, and Heroes of Olympus . . .
Books are a perfect place to find a best mate. Whether you’re looking for a friend to round out your show-stopping musical act, a sidekick to help you get through your first love and the scary school dance, or simply a buddy to see you through the everyday, our list of books about BFFs has something for everyone. You never know where you’ll find your next partner-in-crime, so why not bury yourself in the pages of these tales about friendship? With a book by your side, you’re always in good company.
Whoopee! The Puffin Podcast has been nominated for a Webby Award, that’s like the Oscars but for the internet. In fact one big wig at The New York Times called it ‘The Internet’s highest honour’. There are two categories, one chosen by some clever judges and another picked by the people. That means YOU!
How can you vote?Just go here and click on the Puffin Podcast. The whole thing will be over quicker than you can say fuzzy hatchling!
Not going to vote just because we tell you?Highly commendable free-thinking. So in light of this, here are 9 reasons why we think you should vote Puffin.
1. The Puffin Podcast is presented by Ally McCrae. You might be able to guess from his accent that he hails from the Highlands – but did you know he’s 6″4 and enjoys chomping crisps in the recording studio?
2. Our monthly quiz for Puffins Boffins (Poffins? Buffins?) is tenser than the knicker elastic in Dennis the Menace’s catapult. Sparks flew when Editor Ben and Marketeer Gemma battled it out in the Hocus-Pocus head-to-head. (Battle commences at 10 minutes and 21 seconds).
Eight-year old Ollie is a BIG BIG BIG fan of everyone’s favourite half blood hero, Percy Jackson. He’s read all the books in the Percy Jackson series as well as the more recent Heroes of Olympus books. We asked Ollie about why he loves the Rick Riordan books so much . . .
What it’s about:
Percy Jackson is about a boy who finds out he is a son of Poseidon Greek god of the sea and has to save the world from monsters like the Minotaur. In the last book, The Last Olympian, he has to save Manhattan from monsters. He goes to a demigod camp called Camp Half-Blood.
What I liked:
What I liked about it was all the action and adventure. My favourite book is The Lightning Thief because at the end Percy fights Ares the god of war.I also like the books because I like Greek mythology and prophecies.
What I don’t like:
I don’t really dislike anything except the fact that there are only five books in the Percy Jackson series. I wish there were more!
To sum up . . .
I definitely recommend these books as amazing for 8+ children – they are some of the most exciting books ever.
It's been an exciting and busy week for Dennis the Menace, author Steven Butler and The Beano! Not only does The Diary of Dennis the Menace officially publish today, but Steven himself appeared in the Beano comic yesterday! Here's a peak at what happens when Steven takes a trip to the Beanotown library . . .
PLUS – being a star of the West End, we thought Steven would be the perfect choice to record the audio book for us – and it is hilarious! You can have a sneeky listen to it by clicking on the SoundCloud sample below.
The eight books in the action-packed, time-travel TimeRiders series are now available as downloadable audiobooks.
From Hitler’s bunker to Caligula’s Rome, and Jack the Ripper’s London to an ancient Mayan tribe, travel through history and beyond in this epic series by Alex Scarrow.
Narrated by stage and screen actor Trevor White (left), each title is unabridged and features music from band EssZedd!
Visit the TimeRiders website to hear an extract from each of the eight audiobooks.
2014 marks a phenomenal fifty years since Roald Dahl’s best-loved tale CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY was first published. The story of Charlie Bucket, the five Golden Tickets, the devilish Oompa-Loompas and the amazing Mr Willy Wonka has become firmly embedded in our culture, having (twice) been reimagined for the cinema, as an opera and, just this year, as a hit West End musical. Conservative estimates suggest the original book has sold over 20 million copies worldwide; it is currently available in 55 languages.
In many ways, CHARLIE is the book that defines Roald Dahl’s magic for readers all over the world. It’s a story that is passed from one generation to the next, but it is also loved by adults in their own right.
And that's why the lovely people at Roald Dahl want to hear from YOU! Over the next few months, there will be lots and lots of ways for you to get involved and share your CHARLIE stories and memories. Share what you most love about the book on the Roald Dahl Facebook page, and you could see your thoughts shared with other CHARLIE fans across the world via http://www.roalddahl.com/ and other social media channels.
While Puffin attempts to recreate Edvard Munch’s The Scream on a pumpkin (carving’s not easy with wings) we thought we’d blow away the cobwebs on some of the books and characters who might be celebrating Halloween.
5+ Little Monsters
Bedtime for Monsters by Ed Vere, author of Mr. Big, Banana, and The Getaway is beautifully illustrated and sheds new light on monsters everywhere. Find out what a monster really wants when his tummy rumbles . . .
7 +
Back to Ghoul
The Worst Witch is back with a new story from Miss Cackle’s Academy! In The Worst Witch and the Wishing Star, Mildred Hubble and Tabby get a surprise when her wish comes . Did you know Jill Murphy had started creating books, literally with a stapler, when she was six and that she wrote the Worst Witch when she was only 18!
12+ Other worlds
Marissa Meyer’s The Lunar Chronicles aren’t quite the fairy tales you’ll remember. In Scarlet, Cinder is struggling to escape from prison while Scarlet Benoit begins a journey to find her missing grandmother. Working with Wolf, a street-fighter, she struggles to unravel the mysteries shrouding the disappearance. Equally gripping – and coincidentally also including a quick-witted wolf-ish character – is Rise of the Wolf, the first book in Jobling’s Wereworld fantasy series. Having thought himself a simple farmbody, one night sixteen year old Drew Ferran discovers that he is the last of the werewolf dynasty. Drew must battle the werecreatures determined to destroy him and master the animal within. It’ll leave you howling for more.
Do you dare?
Bram Stocker’s Dracula is the horror classic that inspired countless screen adaptations, from the 1979 German cult film Nosferatu, the Vampyre to the more recent Van Helsing (2004). However nothing can compare to reading page by page Jonathan Harker’s journal as he documents his visit to Castle Dracula, his imprisonment, his narrow escape, and the race to catch and kill the Count.
(Pssssssst once the kids are tucked up in bed there’s a treat for the grown-ups. Expect the unexpected in Roald Dahl's The Complete Short Stories. Discover the #darkersideofdahl with these sinister animations.)
Next week, on Tuesday to be exact, Percy Jackson fans the world over will be able to get their hands on our favourite demi-god's next adventure, The House of Hades – the fourth title in Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus series. We met up with Rick last month and he very kindly answered some questions from his UK fans.
Does anyone fancy helping Rick out with that pizza quest?!
Last year, Puffin and Waterstones ran a competition to offer one family a very special holiday to Moominworld in Finland, including a stay in a Moomin-themed bedroom at the Naantali Spa.The Chamberlains from Holmfirth in West Yorkshire were the lucky winners and they have just got back from their trip.
Oliver, aged 8 and Maisie, aged 5, said "We had a fantastic time at Moominworld. We met Mama Moomin, explored the Moomin Island and house and watched a Moomin play. We loved staying in our Moomin room at the hotel and loved Finland – it was brilliant!"
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