Recommendations based on "Wombat Wins"

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER 'A gentle and uplifting tale of warding off apocalypse in a remote corner of Cornwall . . . charming' Financial Times 'A tremendously enjoyable book' Independent on Sunday 'Bloody brilliant' Liz Fenwick, author of The Cornish House It all began with the whale. When a young man washes up on the sands of St Piran in Cornwall, it is clear to the villagers that this is not a regular day. What has brought him here? And what is the crisis only he understands, that threatens not only their community but all of civilisation? With a global pandemic on the horizon, and a whale lurking in the bay, the villagers of St Piran must band together to survive. Intimate, funny and heart-warming, John Ironmonger tells a compelling story about the important things that hold us together, and how hope can be found, even at the end of the world. 'A warm-hearted book crammed with ideas . . . very, very good' Emerald Street 'A compelling and unusual modern fable' Natasha Solomons, author of Mr Rosenblum's List 'Beautiful, dark, uplifting' Kate Long, author of The Bad Mother's Handbook

For fans of Warriors and Wings of Fire comes a magical adventure story about a street cat who's mistaken for a wizard’s familiar.“Whether furry, flippered or feathered you’ll be taking a closer look at your family pet.” —Michael Buckley, author of The Sisters Grimm and NERDSWhen Aldwyn, a young alley cat on the run, ducks into a mysterious pet shop, he doesn’t expect his life to change. But that’s exactly what happens when Jack, a young wizard in training, picks Aldwyn to be his magical familiar.Finally off the tough streets, Aldwyn thinks he’s got it made. He just has to convince the other familiars—the know-it-all blue jay Skylar and the friendly tree frog Gilbert—that he’s the telekinetic cat he claims to be. But when Jack and two other wizards in training are captured by the evil queen, Aldwyn will have to use all of his street smarts, a few good friends, and a nose for adventure to save the day!This delightful Indie Next pick is beloved by hundreds of thousands of readers and was named to nine state award lists. Don’t miss any of the exciting books in the Familiars series: Secrets of the Crown, Circle of Heroes, and Palace of Dreams.

A Stunning Collection Of Twelve Stories That Unfolds A Series Of Portraits Of The Lost And Unsettled Of America, And With A Trademark Humor That Fuels Each Story With Pathos And Understanding. Willing -- Which Is More Than I Can Say About Some People -- Dance In America -- Community Life -- Agnes Of Iowa -- Charades -- Four Calling Birds, Three French Hens -- Beautiful Grade -- What You Want To Do Fine -- Real Estate -- People Like That Are The Only People Here -- Terrific Mother. Lorrie Moore. First Published In The United States By Alfred A. Knopf--t.p. Verso.

An instant #1 New York Times bestseller!From beloved powerhouse author Katherine Applegate comes The One and Only Ruby, starring the adorable baby elephant from the Newbery Medal-winning modern classic The One and Only Ivan and its bestselling sequel, The One and Only Bob.Ruby’s story picks up a few months after the events of The One and Only Bob. Now living in a wildlife sanctuary, Ruby’s caretaker from the elephant orphanage in Africa where she grew up is visiting. Seeing him again brings back a flood of memories both happy and sad of her life before the circus, and she recounts the time she spent in the African savannah to Ivan and Bob.In the timeless way that only Katherine Applegate could craft, this highly anticipated novel in verse is the perfect mix of heartfelt and humorous, poignant and sweet. Artist Patricia Castelao returns to the world of Ivan and his friends with gorgeous black-and-white interior illustrations to complete the story.The One and Only Ruby features first-person narrative; author's use of literary devices (personification, imagery); and story elements (plot, character development, perspective).This middle grade novel is an excellent choice for tween readers in grades 5 to 8, for independent reading, homeschooling, and sharing in the classroom.Don’t miss the film adaptation of The One and Only Ivan, now streaming on Disney+!

A thrilling and moving novel about an extraordinary animal caught up in a very human war, for anyone who loved The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips or The Butterfly Lion! By the award-winning former Children's Laureate and author of War Horse. Dresden, 1945. Elizabeth and Karli's mother works at the zoo, where her favourite animal is a young elephant named Marlene. Then the zoo director tells her that the dangerous animals -- including the elephants -- must be shot before the town is bombed. Unable to give Marlene up, their mother moves her into the back garden to save her! and then the bombs start to fall. Their home destroyed, the whole family must flee the bombed-out city and through the perilous, snow-covered landscape, all the while avoiding the Russian troops who are drawing ever closer. It would be hard enough to do, without an elephant in tow!

Girl by day. Cat by night. Ready for an adventure.  Meet Kitty, a charming chapter book character with catlike superpowers. In book two in this chapter book series, Kitty must recover the priceless Golden Tiger treasure after it’s been stolen. With dramatic two-color art on every page and an emphasis on friendship, family, and building self-confidence, the Kitty books are the perfect choice for newly independent readers and fans of Rebecca Elliott’s Owl Diaries. When a new exhibition arrives at the local museum, Kitty is excited to see its most prized artifact, the Golden Tiger. Sadly, her cat, Pumpkin, won’t be able to see the Golden Tiger because pets aren’t allowed to visit the galleries. That night, Kitty decides to use her catlike superpowers to sneak Pumpkin into the museum. When they arrive, it’s just in time to see someone stealing the Golden Tiger statue! The museum's security cat, Cleo, is devastated that she let the bandit get away. But never fear! Kitty and Pumpkin are there to help Cleo track down the culprit and recover the statue before morning. Kitty and the Tiger Treasure is the second book in a chapter book series about Kitty and her superhero adventures. With an aspirational main character, a kindle of cats, striking two-color art on every page, and fun facts included at the end of each story, these chapter books are just right for newly independent readers.

Where is the hedge that inspired Jill's famous stories and beautiful illustrations? How do the mice make the delicious food that is mouth-wateringly described in the stories? Where did Jill get her references for the Mill and the Dairy? All these questions and more are answered in this unique visit to Brambly Hedge. For the first time, Jill Barklem shares with her readers the story behind BRAMBLY HEDGE. This unique book contains delicious recipes for the sorts of food the mice love best, including how to make your own hazelnut butter. There are also games and activities and short stories. In amongst all this are photos of the countryside which inspired Jill Barklem to write her famous books. Combining previously unpublished artwork and photos, this is a collector's item for all ages who have come to know and love Brambly Hedge. AGE 7+ as well as appealing to adult collectors.

The unmissable follow-up to the award-winning The Last Bear--perfect for fans of Rosanne Parry and Sara Pennypacker. April Wood has returned home from her adventure on Bear Island. But even though it's been a whole year, she can't stop thinking about Bear. When April hears that a polar bear has been shot and injured in Svalbard, she's convinced it's her friend and persuades her dad to travel with her to the northernmost reaches of the Arctic. So begins an unforgettable journey across frozen tundra and icy glaciers. But along the way, she discovers much more than she bargained for--a tiny polar bear cub, desperately in need of her help. In freezing temperatures, April must navigate the dangerous Arctic terrain and face her deepest fears if she's to save him. Beautifully illustrated by Levi Pinfold, Finding Bear is a stunning story of survival and a heartwarming tale of love that shows us how hope is born from the smallest of beginnings.

New York Times bestseller!From StacyPlays, creator of the mega-popular YouTube series Dogcraft, comes a thrilling illustrated novel about a girl raised by a pack of wolves and her quest to protect their shared forest home. The first in a new Minecraft-inspired fantasy adventure series! Stacy was raised by wolves. She’s never needed humans to survive and, from what she sees of humans, they’re dangerous and unpredictable. For as long as she can remember, Stacy’s pack of six powerful, playful wolves—Addison, Basil, Everest, Noah, Tucker and Wink—have been her only family.   Together, Stacy’s pack patrols the forest to keep other animals safe, relying on her wits and each wolf’s unique abilities to accomplish risky rescue missions. But as the forest changes and new dangers begin lurking, are Stacy and the wolves prepared for the perils that await them?Fans of DanTDM: Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal and the Warriors series—plus shows like Ranger Bob—will love this Minecraft-inspired adventure.

In this silly sequel to Arabel's Raven, Mortimer floats out to sea on a grand piano, tries to get even with three giraffes that have stolen his doughnuts at the zoo, and takes off with King Arthur's sword. Will Arabel ever be able to control her troublemaking pet raven?