Scallywags and Loch-side schools in this month’s book’s for children: FRED THE (VERY
Fred the Deer is available now
FRED THE (VERY DEMANDING) DEER by Pépé Smit (Scallywag Press £12.99, 36pp)
There’s no two ways about it, Fred the Deer IS very demanding – mostly of the book’s illustrator who can’t understand that Fred wants to visit the big city, wear bright blue trainers, eat chips and, most of all, have a pair of hands.
The illustrator agrees to most of his outlandish requests, erasing and redrawing him, but sometimes even a demanding deer must be careful what he wishes for . . . Young children will love Fred’s outrageous behaviour and his delight at getting his own way but also recognise that discovering where you belong is the best fun of all.
With a funny final twist, this Dutch classic is great fun.
Age 3+
The Children of Wolf Rock is available now from the Mail Bookshop
THE CHILDREN OF WOLF ROCK by Natasha Farrant (Faber £7.99, 304pp)
Impulsive Minna struggles to fit in at school so her parents send her to the unconventional, remote Scottish Stormy Loch Academy, where the wild countryside and freedom to explore suit her perfectly.
She befriends Kass and, eventually, Tom, a reluctant bully. When they meet mysterious, musical Addie, hiding in an abandoned bothy, they believe her stories until she disappears and a massive lie is revealed.
Determined to uncover the truth, they follow clues to London and embark upon a thrilling adventure that demands bravery and loyalty.
Another cracking escapade from Costa-winner Farrant, celebrating children’s independence and the power of nature. 9+
SIX WEEKS by Matt Goodfellow Illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton (Starboard £8.99, 304pp)
This extraordinary free-verse novel is a raw and almost overwhelming study of grief, love, family and hope. Alfie’s complicated, fun-loving mum died a year ago and he refuses to see his cold stepdad (referred to as ‘him’), living instead with his Dad, stepmum and their baby.
During a six-week summer holiday, angry, sad Alfie rides his bike into the hills that his mum loved, but when his bike breaks, he’s forced to accept help from ‘him’ – the start of a slow, beautifully handled exploration of the past, grief and healing.
Painful and authentic, it’s full of wisdom, hope and a resolution that will make you cry. I did.
11+