The best kid's book series you've never read
Plus, bookish gifts for children and teens
Is there a children’s book series that you love – but which no-one else ever seems to have heard of? Something that you think should get way MORE attention than it does?
For Megan Daley and Allison Tait, it’s the Miss Penny Dreadful series by the third member of #TeamYKNR, Allison Rushby.
And, to celebrate the publication of MISS PENNY DREADFUL AND THE MERMAID’S LOCKS, the final book in this delightful series for readers 8+, we asked YKNR members to nominate their FAVOURITE UNDERRATED CHILDREN’S BOOK SERIES – and we made a list.
There are some absolute GEMS here. Read the full list.
Of course, we recommend you start with the adventures of Miss Penny Dreadful…
UPDATES FROM TEAM YKNR
It’s been another busy month for the Your Kid’s Next Read team. Thanks for all the positive feedback on our new website – we’re thrilled you’re finding it useful.
HELLO FROM MEGAN DALEY
Megan is an award-winning teacher-librarian working in Brisbane, the author of Raising Readers: How to nurture a child’s love of books, and co-host of the Your Kid’s Next Read podcast. She is also a sought-after public speaker, literary judge, and editor of the anthology ‘Teacher, Teacher’. More about Megan here.
The end of the school year is always a touch fraught, isn't it? So many choir concerts, presentation nights and celebrations – all lovely but all squished into such a short space of time!
However, the end of 2023 also means that my picture book The Beehive will be out soon and I've so been enjoying having chats with the publisher and with illustrator Max Hamilton about events and merch. I am rather beside myself about the possibility of ‘bee book’ merch in the not-too-distant future!
MEGAN’S BOOKMARK REVIEWS
Each month, I share full reviews of two outstanding books that have crossed my desk. Bookmark these for your young readers.
‘A Life Song’ by Jane Godwin and Anna Walker
From the award-winning team behind nine of my all-time favourite picture books, including Don't Forget, All Through the Year, Tilly and Starting School, comes an exquisite picture book that carries us through a child's life journey on the magical metaphor of song. A must have for your newborn baby gift list.
This is a musical journey from the time a child's life song first begins, through all its modulations, adding new verses and extra voices through the years, until it becomes their own unique composition.
As someone who has experienced the up and down rhythm of life over the last few years, ‘A Life Song’ absolutely spoke to me. It’s a celebration of the strength and connection of families and the eternal rhythm of life, love and nature.
So. Highly. Recommended. Jane Godwin and Anna Walker I salute you.
‘Ruby Red Shoes Goes to Paris’ by Kate Knapp
Another gush-worthy book from me in ‘Ruby Red Shoes Goes to Paris’ by Kate Knapp. This is a special new edition to celebrate the tenth anniversary of this much-loved book in the Ruby Red Shoes series.
Ruby Red Shoes and her grandmother Babushka Galushka are on holiday in Paris. Ruby is fizzing with excitement; her smart red shoes are aflutter as she explores cafes and markets dotted along cobblestone streets.
My review from ten years ago says: At five years old, the two books in the Ruby Red Shoes series are among Pud’s most loved books and it really is little wonder – they are a visual delight and the whimsical stories are perfect for bedtime reading.
HELLO FROM ALLISON RUSHBY
The award-winning, bestselling author of many, many books for children and adults, Allison Rushby’s novels are firm favourites in the Your Kid’s Next Read community. Her latest illustrated junior fiction series, The Wish Sisters, is fast gaining fans. More about Allison R here.
Well, it’s all very bookish around here as per usual. I’m spending an absolutely lovely day today jotting down notes for Samantha-Ellen Bound’s Kidlit Classics podcast. If you haven’t caught it yet, you should! All sorts of different kidlit people discuss the books that shaped them. I’m talking about none other than Mog the Forgetful Cat.
I’m also in the thick of having two books released in the same week. Alongside Miss Penny Dreadful and the Mermaid’s Locks (see above) is The Christmas Wish, the fifth book in The Wish Sisters series. I’m loving discussing both – for different reasons!
Penny Dreadful is full of zany characters and historical elements. And The Christmas Wish has a wish-granting imp and gingerbread people who bite. Such fun!
THREAD OF THE MONTH
You guys. You need to stop making my bedside reading pile grow and grow and grow. You’re always discussing some book or other that I want to have a good flip through and the books that were mentioned in this thread all sound truly fascinating…
HELLO FROM ALLISON TAIT
Writing as A. L. Tait, Allison is the internationally published, bestselling author of three middle-grade series: The Mapmaker Chronicles, The Ateban Cipher and the Maven & Reeve Mysteries. She is an in-demand speaker, a writing teacher for kids and adults, and co-host of the YKNR podcast. Her new novel THE FIRST SUMMER OF CALLIE McGEE is out now. More about Allison here.
Are we there yet? No, really – is it just me, or is this year the longest on record? I’m slightly discombobulated because Book Boy Jr has finished year 11 and launched directly into year 12, with no room for breath.
In good news, I was thrilled to spot my middle-grade novel The First Summer of Callie McGee in the 2023/24 Kid’s Reading Guide.
If you’re yet to discover the guide, it’s a list of terrific reads for kids of all ages, as curated by Australia’s leading independent booksellers. Find it online here.
BOOKISH GIFTS FOR KIDS AND TEENS
We love a bookish gift – something book-related, but not necessarily a book. To save you time this festive season, the Your Kid’s Next Read team has trawled through our favourite websites to find the best bookish gifts for kids and teens.
We’d have loved to have received any of these as young people… actually, we’d be pretty happy to receive most of them now. Click the red button for the full list.
PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS
If you haven’t yet discovered the Your Kid’s Next Read podcast, now’s the time. Recent episodes include a round-up of brand-new Christmas books, an interview with Carnegie Award-winning author Katya Balen, and some practical tips on how to advocate for school libraries.
NOVEMBER BOOKMAIL WINNER
Each month, we’re giving away a prize pack consisting of some of the brilliant bookmail sent to us for the Your Kid’s Next Read podcast. One winner* is chosen from our full subscriber list by random draw and announced here!
There are SIX books in the NOVEMBER prize pack.
The NOVEMBER bookmail giveaway winner is …
Denise Bowen
Congrats! We’ll be in touch by email.
Want a chance to win next month? All you have to do is subscribe.
*Australian mailing addresses only. Prize consists of one copy of each book pictured, sent as a pack to the winner by Australia Post. Winner will be contacted by email and prize must be claimed within 14 days or a redraw will take place. You must be subscribed to the YKNR newsletter by midnight (AEDST) the night before publication each month to be eligible to win. No correspondence will be entered into.
I'm so excited to check these out!!