Thursday 1 September 2016

Three stunning new titles arrive this Autumn from Otter-Barry Books

Once again Otter-Barry books look like they've got an amazing and diverse line-up of children's books planned for this autum. Let's take a look at three new titles releasing today from this innovative and exciting publisher.

First is "Wings" by Paul Stewart and Jane Porter, an adorable little story about a penguin who would love to soar in the skies like all his friends.

Penguin just can't seem to get off the ground, no matter what he tries. Eagle, Flamingo, Duck and Robin all want to help but the task seems insurmountable. Penguin just isn't built to take to the sky.

Can they all combine their talents and brainpower to find a way to help Penguin zoom through the clouds?

A fantastic book of friendship and working together, with some truly stunning papercraft illustrations, "Wings" by Paul Stewart and Jane Porter is released today by Otter-Barry Books. 


Next, a brilliant traditional 'flood tale' from India. In "Pattan's Pumpkin" by Chitra Soundar and Frane Lessac, the story of Pattan unfolds as the wise man and his wife are set a seemingly impossible task, to protect all the animals from a gigantic flood that's set to blight the land.

Pattan and his wife hit on the idea of hollowing out a gigantic pumpkin that grows in their garden.

This huge gourd has more than enough room for everyone, to keep them safe and afloat as the rain lashes down.

Beautifully retold and presented, "Pattan's Pumpkin" by Chitra Soundar and Frane Lessac is out today from Otter-Barry Books. 

The third book from Otter-Barry in our roundup is something really special, a hugely emotional and very timely story of a little boy whose homeland is torn apart by war...

"Peter in Peril" by Helen Bate is the story of a young boy living in Budapest just before the outbreak of the second world war.

Peter's life is just like any other boy's, he loves to play football and get up to all sorts of mischief.

But as war breaks out, Peter's home country Hungary is torn apart, leaving Peter, his cousin and mum and dad no choice but to flee and go into hiding as Russian forces invade and start to enforce a brutal regime of cruelty, starvation and displacement.

Without a doubt, this is the sort of book that is needed now more than ever, to educate children about the terrible atrocities of war, and how ordinary children like themselves became caught up in the conflict, taken far away from their homes and everything they knew and loved.

At times it's quite a tough read, certainly a title for older children but it imparts its story with sensitivity and thought. This is the sort of book we'd truly love to see championed in schools and libraries.

"Peter in Peril" by Helen Bate is out today from Otter-Barry Books. 

Three stunning titles, we're sure you'll agree. Watch out for more amazing releases from Otter-Barry and drop by their website for more amazing stories and upcoming releases.