New books this July!

The Scarecrows’ Wedding 10th Anniversary Edition by by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

Celebrate ten years of this joyful and heartwarming picture book from the creators of The Gruffalo, Stick Man and Zog.

Two scarecrows are planning the perfect wedding and set off to find everything on their list. But wicked scarecrow, Reginald Rake, has other ideas and almost ruins their special day. Harry O’Hay must become a hero before he and Betty O’Barley can have the wedding of their dreams.

What a Desi Girl Wants by Sabina Khan

Mehar hasn’t been back to India since she was four. She hasn’t visited her father, or any of her family. Why would she?

Her father made it clear that she’s not his priority when he chose not to come to the US with her and her mum. But when her father announces his engagement to socialite Naz, Mehar reluctantly agrees to return for the wedding. Maybe she and her father can heal their broken relationship. And after all, her father is Indian royalty, and his home is a palace.

While her father still doesn’t make the time for her, and she hates Naz and her social media influencer daughter, Mehar barely cares once she meets Sufiya, her grandmother’s assistant. Though they come from totally different worlds, their friendship slowly starts to blossom into something more . . . Mehar thinks. But she can tell Naz is using her dad for his money and putting a stop to the wedding might be the best for everyone involved. What happens when telling her father the truth about Naz and Aleena means putting her relationship with Sufiya at risk . . .

Captain Underpants: Maniacal Mischief of the Marauding Monsters by Meredith Russo

Two of Captain Underpants’ funniest and most fearsome adventures in one! Includes a full sheet of stickers!

No one loves Halloween more than George Beard and Harold Hutchins. Join the two best friends and their superhero pal, Captain Underpants, in this terrifying and totally funny two-story collection!

First, George and Harold go teeth-to-teeth against a ghost dentist when their spooky campfire story comes to life! Then, George and Harold have to face a terrifying T.P. mummy after their most epic prank ever goes down the drain. Can Captain Underpants flush away these vile villains so George and Harold can live to prank another day?

Is That Your Mama? by Patrice Lawrence and Diane Ewen

Every family is different. Every family is special.

A beautiful, moving celebration of what it truly means to be family, from the brilliant new picture book duo Patrice Lawrence and Diane Ewen.

Josie loves her family. Her mum, dad, brothers and sister – they’re all the best and they all look different. But people always seem to ask Josie “Is that YOUR mama?”, and soon she starts to wonder if her family are actually supposed to look the same. When Josie shares her worries with her family, they find a way to help her see what truly matters.

Getting Away With Murder by Kathryn Foxfield

The bestselling author of Good Girls Die First, It’s Behind You and Tag, You’re Dead is back with an entertaining, high-octane and read-in-a-single-sitting new thriller.

While working at a brand new, high tech escape room complex, Saffron poses a question to the resident AI: which high school stereotype would survive the longest in a real life version of Sole Survivor? She is convinced a rebel like her would beat a know-it-all like Georgia.

Unbeknown to her, the AI decides to determine the answer to her question by testing it out for real. It invites Saffron and Georgia’s gamer friends to a preview of the escape rooms, but then it locks the doors and turns the rooms into a life-or-death battle to be the last player standing. The rebel, the know-it-all, the princess, the jock, the geek, the weirdo, the star, the artist and the criminal. Just like in Sole Survivor, only one can survive the night…

The Beasts of Knobbly Bottom: Attack of the Vampire Sheep by Emily-Jane Clark and Jeff Crowther

A laugh-out-loud, brilliantly wacky, highly illustrated children’s debut for readers of 8+ from an award-winning comedy writer, illustrated by Jeff Crowther.

Maggie McKay is NOT happy that her mum has decided to move from their flat in Leicester to a house in Knobbly Bottom (the most BORING village ever invented). There are just fields, church fetes, and a bunch of boring old sheep!

But Maggie soon discovers that Knobbly Bottom is also full of SECRETS. The sheep are growing FANGS, their eyes are turning RED, and they’re planning to take over the world…

When Mum thinks she’s just making up another silly story, it’s up to Maggie, her little sister Lily and their new friend Fred – with the help of a strange old lady called Nan Helsing and some stinky garlic bread – to save Knobbly Bottom from the ATTACK OF THE VAMPIRE SHEEP!

This Rock is Mine! by Kaye Umansky and Alice McKinley

Friendship wins the day in this fabulously funny quarrel! *

Two frogs sit on an ordinary little rock. But . . . uh-oh! Both frogs think it’s their rock – and they really don’t want to share! The frogs fight and squabble furiously. But when a hungry heron swoops down, both frogs realise it’s time to find another rock . . . together!

Kaye Umansky’s brilliantly simple rhyming story shows how two grumpy frogs go from fighting . . . to friendship (with lots of laughter along the way.) Alice McKinley’s hilarious illustrations bring to life every twist and turn of this wonderfully witty little drama.

My Brilliant Plan to Fix Everything* by Ben Davis

This summer, 12-year-old Alex is taking over his dad’s postal delivery job. What could go wrong?

To reunite his family, Alex devises a plan: if his dad writes the long-desired novel, their happiness and his parents’ love will be restored, so he tricks his dad into a creative sabbatical and takes on his postal deliveries.

However, he faces challenges like bullies, a suspicious boss, and aggressive dogs. Along the way, he finds unexpected support from Willow, who harbors a troubling secret.

  
    As the plan unravels, Alex realizes he needs his dad's support, while his dad learns that his true need isn't publishing a novel... it's Alex.
  

Horrible Histories: Terrible Thames by Terry Deary and Martin Brown

Keep your hands inside the boat at all times! Discover all the terrifying tales about the number one river in London with history’s most horrible headlines: Terrible Thames edition.

The master of making history fun, Terry Deary, turns his attention to the Thames. From gory stories of death, crime, creepy creatures and more to freezing Frost Fairs which included an elephant parade over the ice, it’s all in Horrible Histories: Terrible Thames!