Titles for May 2012

There has been a trend in children’s publishing in recent years to reinvent the classics. Sometimes this takes the form of asking an author to write a sequel to a well-loved book. The other approach is to take something well-known and turn it on it’s head.

Here are some new sequels and alternative versions…but don’t forget the originals!

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  Laurence Anholt "Seriously Silly Stories"

  A series of easy readers that provide hilarious alternatives to the usual fairy tales. Look out for Bleeping Beauty and the Silly Willy Billy Goats!

   

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  T S Eliot. "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats"

  Not strictly a retelling , but this lovely edition illustrated by Axel Scheffler makes these classic poems available to a younger age range.

   

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  Frank Cottrell Boyce "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again"

  A wonderful sequel , which captures all the humour and excitement of the flying car.

   

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  Hilary McKay "Wishing for tomorrow"

  The wistful sequel to Frances Hodgson Burnett’s A Little Princess

   

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  Charlie Higson "Young Bond series"

  James Bond is as popular as ever, and Charlie Higson’s prequel series brings the hero to a teenage audience. Start the series with Silverfin.