Rory and the Balloon Bicycles by Louisa MacDougall & illustrated by Giulia Cregut (Little Door Books – May 2025)
Rory the dragon and his human bestie, Princess Flora, are back with another wonderful adventure. Happy in his bicycle workshop, Rory loves his unusual life. One day, when flying out to Crunch Canyon, Rory and Flora spot a new mountain in the distance. It turns out to be a huge pile of neglected bicycles. These bikes have been swapped for new, disposable, single-use ones made from balloons. “Evilyn’s Inflatables” are loads of fun but causing so much pollution. Rory and Flora know they need to do something to stop this destructive, dishonest business.
Rory and the Balloon Bicycles show children the value of recycling and giving old objects a second life. With a thought-provoking, layered plot, this chapter book for age 6+ is so engaging. Readers will love spending more time with the delightful duo of Rory and Princess Flora.
Read my review of the first book in the series below:
Uncle Pete and the Undersea Adventure by David C Flanagan & illustrated by Will Hughes (Little Door Books – May 2025)
Uncle Pete and his fearless mouse companion, TM, are heading off to try to find their old plane. Lost in the Arctic Ocean, they aren’t even sure where to start looking. Perhaps a submarine is the answer!
This crazy underwater adventure with an environmental message will have readers laughing out loud and wondering what will happen next. From helpful squirrels to an octopus with jars of stardust to rescuing a shark in trouble, this fun chapter book is pure escapism for readers age 6+. It will make a fantastic model for children writing their own imaginative adventures stories.
Go back to the first book in the series:
My Magic Hamster: Cheeky Wishes by Leah Mohammed & illustrated by Jess Rose (Hachette Children’s Books – June 2025)
My Magic Hamster is two gorgeous stories in one book: Cheeky Wishes & Animal Antics.
Sana has £10 of birthday money but can’t decide what to buy. When she spots a “magic hamster” at the market, she knows she has to have it. Frank is a lovely pet, but there’s something more. It seems he can understand what Sana’s saying to him. With a twitch of his nose, Frank can make her wishes come true. It seems too good to be real but then Frank starts granting his own wishes and Sana ends up in a bit of a mess.
Frank is a fun little hamster who will completely captivate readers age 5+. This is a pet story with a difference – magic, mischief and a lovely pet owner relationship.
Agent Arthur’s Desert Challenge by Martin Oliver & illustrated by Paddy Mounter (Usborne – August 2025)
Agent Arthur’s Desert Challenge is the newest addition to the updated Usborne Puzzle Adventure series. Fun and interactive, these classic books are ready for a whole new generation. With brightly coloured illustrations, accessible text, and engaging codes and clues, readers will be drawn in from the very first page.
In this adventure, the Action Agency (with its motto: Search, Solve and Survive) is sending one of its youngest recruits to a remote desert town to uncover the plan of the sinister Spider Organisation. Arthur and his dog, Sleuth, have their work cut out for them if they’re going to gain access to the refinery and sabotage the evil plan.
This series is perfect for summer holidays – a dangerous adventure with plenty of laughs, fun puzzles to really make kids think and the potential to read another book in the same series when finished. Aimed at age 7+, I know it will be a hit throughout Key Stage 2 as children look for something lighter to enjoy over the school break.
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