Exciting books to read in 2016

The New Year and new school term is all about fresh starts and, of course, deciding what to read next. Whether you’re after action and adventure, stories of friendships or books to make you laugh, these are the big debuts and highlights from Puffin for your reading list this year. Happy reading!

 New books by your favourite authors…

Romans on the Rampage: Jail Break! by Jeremy Strong

Perilus and his family are in trouble again! This is a laugh out loud book that brings Romans to life for young readers. It is a good pick to support kids learning about Romans at school.

Out now

 

 

 

 

The Diary of Dennis the Menace, The Great Escape! by Steven Butler 

The naughtiest boy in fiction returns for another prankster-packed story. In this story Dennis has been packed off to an elite boarding school. Help! Desperate to get back to Bash Street he plots his great escape.

Out in February

 

 

 

Jolly Foul Play by Robin Stevens

Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong have returned to Deepdean for a new school term and meet the new head girl and her group of prefects, who are not good eggs! The fourth book in the Murder Most Unladylike Mystery series is another thrilling read.

Out in March

 

 

 

Mabel Jones and the Forbidden City by Will Mabbitt

Mabel fans will be thrilled to hear their favourite heroine is back for a second adventure. Follow her exciting quest as she swashbuckles her way through the jungle to save her little sister from the wicked Witch Queen.

Don’t miss! Look out for the latest Danger book out this year and the exciting new Rick Riordan out in May.
 

 
 

 

Unmissable books to read for the first time or again…

The Butterfly Club by Jacqueline Wilson

New in paperback, is this terrific tale about teeny-tiny Tina, a triplet who is much smaller than her two sisters. A story about learning to be independent. Out now

 

 
 

 
 

 

The BFG by Roald Dahl

Whoopsy splunkers! Read it before you see it. Our delumptious giant is coming to the big screen in July 2016, so now’s the time to read or re-read this gloriumptious story. Out now

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diary of a Wimpy Kid – The Long Haul by Jeff Kinney

Out in paperback this month is the ninth Wimpy Kid book. Join Greg for a laugh out-loud story of a family road trip, that of course is packed with disasters, a lost key, a crazed seagull and even a runaway pig. Out in January

 

 

 

 

 

Fortune Cookie by Cathy Cassidy

Grab your tissues, Sweet Honey is the sixth and final book in Cathy Cassidy’s Chocolate Box Girls series. Out in February

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (Book 1) by Rick Riordan

Half boy. Half God. All Hero. The first in the Percy Jackson book series is one to read for the first time – or for demigod fans to read again.

Out now

 

 

 
 

 

Debut fiction – new authors to discover in 2016

Knights of the Borrowed Dark by Dave Rudden

The first book in a new series about an orphan boy who discovers he is part of a secret army that protects the world from a race of shadowy monsters.

Out in April

 

The Crooked Sixpence by Jennifer Bell

Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems. The story follows  Ivy Sparrow’s magical adventures in Lundinor, a city beneath London where ordinary objects have extraordinary powers.

Out in June

Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk

‘Annabelle has lived in Wolf Hollow all her life: a quiet place, still scarred by two world wars. But when cruel, manipulative Betty arrives in town, Annabelle’s calm world is shattered…’ This powerful story is set to be a future children’s classic.

Out in July  

Children’s Books: Give a gift of a thrilling adventure

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 . . .

Children’s Books: Give a gift of laughter

Christmas is coming, and gifts are on our mind. But what’s the best present for every good Puffin? A book! If you’re making a list, we suggest adding these rollicking reads to the top. We guarantee our selection of hilarious books will have you LOL’ing right through Christmas and into the new year.

Puffin Podcast Episode 9: Jokesters & Pranksters!

Get ready to giggle! This hilarious episode of the Webby nominated Puffin Podcast is full of the best jokesters and pranksters in kids’ books. From wormy spaghetti (Roald Dahl’s The Twits) to incidents with the pet goldfish (Kes Gray’s Daisy) and an appearance from Beanotown’s original prankster, the gnash-bang-wolloping Dennis the Menace. Plus, presenter Ally McCrae orders a pizza bigger than a swimming pool, and laugh-out-loud-funny author Steven Butler prank-calls his old headmaster… none other than the King of Comedy himself, Jeremy Strong! WARNING: This programme might make your cheeks hurt from grinning so much!

 

[Puffin Podcast Epsiode 9:Jokesters and Pranksters]

Penguin Schools Reading List: Stories to make them Laugh

To celebrate our brilliant and rather hilarious new World Book Day books – The Dinosaur that Pooped a Lot and The Diary of Dennis the Menace: World Menace Day,we’ve created a reading list of some of the funniest children’s stories around. Click below to find out more. We hope these stories make you smile…

The Dinosaur that Pooped the Past by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter. Age 3+. When they occidentally go back through history on a time-travelling swing, Danny and Dinosaur meet some new dino friends. But soon there’s a rumbling noise; it’s a volcano about to erupt! Can Dinosaur save the day by pooping them back to the future? Find out in this hysterical historical adventure.

Truckers by Terry Pratchett. Age 9+. Truckers is the fantastically funny first book of the nomes from Terry Pratchett. The nomes live under the floorboards of a large Department Store and have never been Outside. In fact, they don’t even believe in Outside. But new nomes arrive and they bring with them terrifying news…

The Story of Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson. Age 9+. Tracy is ten years old. She lives in a Children’s Home but would like a real home one day, with a real family. Follow her story and share her hopes for the future in this beautifully observed, touching and often very funny tale from one of our most loved children’s authors.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck by Jeff Kinney. Age 8+. Greg Heffley’s on a losing streak. His best friend, Rowley Jefferson, has ditched him, and finding new friends in middle school is proving to be a tough task. To change his fortunes, Greg decides to take a leap of faith and turn his decisions over to chance. Will a roll of the dice turn things around, or is Greg’s life destined to be just another hard-luck story?

The Wind the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. Age 7+. When Mole goes boating with Ratty instead of doing his spring-cleaning, he discovers a whole new world. Ratty, Mole, Badger and Toad become the firmest of friends, but after Toad’s latest escapade, can they join together and beat the wretched weasels once and for all?

The Diary of Dennis the Menace: Bash Street bandit by Steven Butler. Age 7+. The fourth hilarious story from Roald Dahl Funny Prize shortlisted author Steven Butler. Expect dastardly deeds, adventure and of course menacing!

Kidnapped! The Hundred-Mile-An-Hour Dog’s Sizzling Summer by Jeremy Strong. Age 8+. This is the laugh-a-minute 100th title by the King of Comedy. When Streaker goes on her summer holidays, hilarious misadventures can’t be far behind…

The Twits by Roald Dahl. Age 7+. Mr and Mrs Twit are extremely nasty, so the Muggle-Wump monkeys and the Roly-Poly bird hatch an ingenious plan to give them just the ghastly surprise they deserve!

Dear Little Me #3: Steven Butler

Steven Butler is the awesome writer of The Diaries of Dennis the Menace. He used to love The Beano and now he’s penning menacing manuals packed with the Bad Boy of Books’ trouble-making tips and tricks. But while Steven is a bit of a joker himself – he can also be very serious and here’s some very good advice which he’d give his younger self. Tell Your Teacher: You can find out more about how Steven became a writer when he pays a trip to his old school (where legendary writer Jeremy Strong was headmaster) in Puffin Virtually Live: Dennis the Menace. Sign up now for FREE and get ready for the best, most-menacing, lesson ever!!

 Think you could grow-up to be a writer? Steven is from Kent where there are lots of green open spaces and rolling fields. For your chance to WIN a writer’s retreat with Holiday Cottages enter the Puffin Prize Draw! 

Your Funniest Pets!

Woo-hoo! Yippee!

Have you heard about Streaker? She’s the fastest and funniest dog in the world and the star of Jeremy Strong’s Hundred-Mile-An-Hour Dog books.

Puffin wanted to find a pet that made us laugh as much as Streaker so we teamed up with the PDSA, the UK’s leading veterinary charity, to find your funniest fluffy (furry, feathered or scaly) friends.

We received lots of great entries but with the help of Jeremy Strong we’ve picked these three fantastic winners.

Drum-roll please…

The winner is:

Jake Rowlands. Age 11 with this hilarious photo of Gizmo, his pet cat:

Jake says: “This is Gizmo, who loves sitting in my little sister’s Bumbo seat even though he is far too big for it! It doesn’t look very comfy!”

Runners-up:

Kyle Moss. Age 9 with Kaiser, aka BATDOG!

Keiran Willoughby. Age 9, with his brilliantly stylish pooch