A Trio of Tales for Young Readers
The Mail Bookshop has just released three exciting new titles for children and young adults, offering a diverse range of stories to capture young imaginations across the UK.
Porridge Please! A Fairy-Tale Feast
Porridge Please! by Laura Mucha, with illustrations by Marc Boutavant, is a delightful picture book for children aged 3 and over. Priced at £12.99 for its 48 pages, the story follows Bear, who simply wants to finish reading his book in peace. His plans are interrupted by a knock at the door from Goldilocks, who has run out of porridge.
Kind-hearted Bear shares his large pot of porridge, but this is only the beginning. A succession of other beloved fairy-tale characters soon arrive, all eager to join the breakfast feast. The narrative takes a humorous twist when an unusually hairy Grandma appears, raising questions about what really happened with Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. With its bright and bold illustrations, this funny story sees Bear saving the day in a way that will delight young readers.
Robin: Finding a Voice in the Forest
For middle-grade readers aged 8 and up, Robin by Sarah Ann Juckes is a tender and emotional novel. This 288-page book, published by Simon & Schuster for £12.99, tells the story of Eddie.
Eddie is staying with his uncle in the forest while his younger sister undergoes another serious heart operation. Feeling invisible and overwhelmed, he confesses his fears to the trees, where he sees a monster that seems to grow larger before his eyes. His life changes when a chirpy robin introduces him to Mari, a wild and intimidating girl living in the woods. Mari encourages Eddie to shout, make friends, and find joy in singing. The book's powerful and honest message about finding one's voice will resonate not only with children who have ill siblings but with any child struggling to be heard. Its beautiful writing has been compared to Patrick Ness's A Monster Calls.
We Fell Apart: Unravelling Family Secrets
Young adult readers aged 14 and above are in for a treat with We Fell Apart by E. Lockhart. Published by Hot Key Books for £8.99, this 320-page novel returns to the privileged world of Martha's Vineyard, familiar to fans of the author's previous work, We Were Liars, which was dramatised on Amazon Prime.
The story follows teenage Matilda, who is invited by her father, the renowned but reclusive artist Kingsley Cello—a man she has never met. Upon arrival, he is absent, and she finds herself with her half-brother Meer, the hostile and troubled Tatum, and former child-star Brock. As Matilda begins to unravel the family's silence and secrecy, she discovers a complex web of lies dating back generations that threatens to destroy her. While it can be read as a standalone novel, it is more thrilling for those who know the Sinclair family history, and an Amazon adaptation seems a likely future prospect.
A New Chapter for Young Book Lovers
These three new releases from the Mail Bookshop demonstrate the vibrant diversity of contemporary children's publishing in the UK. From a playful picture book for preschoolers to a poignant novel for middle-grade readers and a gripping YA mystery, there is a story for every young reader to discover and enjoy, encouraging a lifelong love of literature.
