Mirabelle and the Midnight Feast

By Harriet Muncaster

Age 5+

If you’ve got an Isadora Moon fan who’s looking for their next read that’s full of magic, adventure and a little bit of mischief, meet Mirabelle! Isadora Moon’s naughty half-witch, half-fairy cousin has a whole chapter book series of her own for emerging readers to enjoy.

 

Like the Isadora Moon books, Mirabelle’s adventures are engaging and accessible stories to build reading confidence.

 

Mirabelle and the Midnight FeastÌýis a magical tale about friendship, siblings, and the importance of owning up to your mistakes. Will they be able to overcome their differences and come together for a midnight feast? Find out in this hilarious and heart-warming story.

 

Win Mirabelle and the Midnight Feast

For your chance to win one of three copies of Mirabelle and the Midnight Feast, we want to know who you and your child would invite to your own magical midnight feast. Comment on the pinned competition post on the Oxford Owl Facebook page with your answer to enter. Feel free to tag your feast friends so that they can join in the fun!

UK residents only. Entry closes at 11.59pm on Sunday 25th February 2024.

 

About the book

About the Author

 

Harriet Muncaster is the author and illustrator of the internationally bestselling Isadora Moon, Mirabelle and Emerald series of young reader books and the middle-grade Victoria Stitch series. So far Isadora Moon is available in thirty-seven different languages, including Spanish, Italian, Romanian and Korean, and is available as audio books. TheÌýIsadora Moon series won the El Corte Inglés Children’s Book of the Year in 2019 and has sold over 4 million copies worldwide.

More from Oxford Owl

• with Mirabelle (PDF)
• (PDF)
• Isadora Moon activities, videos and more on Oxford Owl

Science Words for Little People

Written by Helen Mortimer and illustrated by Cristina Trapanese

Age 3+

Get ready to meet some science words you can use every day!

Created by the language experts at 51ºÚÁÏÍø, and informed by the Oxford Corpus of Children’s Language, these little books provide just the right words to explore science with even the littlest learners and to build their confidence with scientific vocabulary.

From the weather to space, discover and share all the words, facts, and meanings you need to talk about these fascinating topics together.

 

Win Big Words for Little people: Weather

To celebrate the publication of Weather, the latest Science Words for Little People book, we’re giving away all four books in the series to one lucky winner!

For your chance to win the books, head to the Oxford Owl Facebook page and comment on the competition post with your favourite weather emoji.

UK residents only. Entry closes at 11.59pm on Sunday 28th January 2024.

 

About the book

About the Author and Illustrator

 

Helen Mortimer has always loved words. After graduating, she placed her foot on the bottom rung of the publishing ladder and enjoyed every step of the climb until she had a fine view of the world of picture books!

 

Cristina Trapanese started studying illustration at the Italian School of Comix and later at the IDEA Academy in Rome. She loves painting and how it helps her learn how to manage colours, later discovering her passion for telling stories through images.

More from Oxford Owl

• The wonder of words: How learning new words can help your child (Blog)
• Building a strong vocabulary: How to help at home (Blog)
• Science for fun: Six super science activities to try at home (Article)
• Children’s Word of the Year 2023: Climate Change (Blog)

The Wild

Written and Illustrated by Yuval Zommer

Age 3+

Everything found a place in the Wild, and the Wild welcomed all…

Discover renowned illustrator Yuval Zommer’s latest magical creation, which delivers a powerful modern fairy tale about how our environment needs us just as much as we need it.

The Wild explores concepts of healing, wellbeing and our relationship with nature through mesmerising illustrations, to offer a hopeful message for readers big and small.

 

Win one of three copies of The Wild

Want to get your hands on a copy of this beautiful book? We’re giving away three copies! Plant a tree 🌳 emoji in the comments on the competition Facebook post for your chance to win.

UK residents only. Entry closes at 11.59pm on Sunday 26th November 2023.

 

About the book

About the Author

 

Yuval Zommer graduated from London’s Royal College of Art with an MA in Illustration. He then worked as a creative director at many leading advertising agencies but his passion for picture books won, and he is now the author and illustrator of highly acclaimed children’s books, including the internationally bestselling The Big Book series for Thames and Hudson.

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• (Video)
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• Fun outdoor learning ideas (Blog)

Thunderboots

Written by Naomi Jones, Illustrated by Rebecca Ashdown

Age 3+

Join Trixie, a little, but VERY loud, girl, as she realises that what makes her different is what also makes her unique!

Thunderboots is an empowering story about starting school with dyslexia, inspired by the author Naomi Jones’s own experiences growing up. It uses a fun story and energetic illustrations to draw awareness to the challenges and strengths that little learners with dyslexia might experience.

We’ve developed this book with a school that specialises in teaching children with dyslexia to make sure it helps spread awareness about dyslexia in a positive way. It opens with a personal letter from Naomi that will encourage little ones to embrace their individual superpowers.

Win one of three copies of Thunderboots

Learning differently is Trixie’s superpower. What’s your child’s special superpower that makes them unique? Comment with your answer on the competition Facebook post for your chance to win one of three copies of Thunderboots.

UK residents only. Entry closes at 11.59pm on Sunday 29th October 2023.

 

About the book

About the Author and illustrator

Naomi Jones worked in children’s publishing for eight years before leaving to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. She is the acclaimed author of the picture book The Perfect Fit (OUP); its sequel One More Try, How to Catch a Rainbow (OUP), How to Make a Story (OUP), and The Odd Fish (Farshore). She lives in Cornwall near the sea.

Rebecca Ashdown studied illustration at Westminster University and Central Saint Martins, working as a graphic designer, vector illustrator and motion graphics artist, before becoming a full-time illustrator. Her books have been shortlisted for several awards including the Sheffield Book Award, the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal, the Portsmouth Book Award and Hillingdon Picture Book of the Year.

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• Supporting struggling readers

Amazing Animal Tales: Little Monkey and Tiny Tadpole

Written by Anne Rooney, Illustrated by Qu Lan

Age 2+

Part fiction, part non-fiction – completely perfect for little animal lovers.

Discover an exciting series following baby animals’ incredible stories of survival. These new books are a perfect mix of fiction and non-fiction, combining emotional family stories with fascinating nature facts in one beautiful package.

Little ones will love opening the flaps to reveal amazing facts and each book features an animal to spot throughout.

Win a pair of Amazing Animal Tales books

You could win one of three pairs of the new Amazing Animal Tales books, Little Monkey and Tiny Tadpole, over on the Oxford Owl Facebook page. To enter, simply comment on the competition Facebook post with the emoji of your child’s favourite animal!

UK residents only. Entry closes at 11.59pm on Sunday 24th September 2023.

 

About the books

About the Author and illustrators

 

Anne Rooney is a prolific writer of fiction and non-fiction for children and adults who has published more than 150 books and lectures in creative writing. As well as the Amazing Animal Tales series by 51ºÚÁÏÍø, recent titles include Animal Atlas and Dinosaur Atlas (Lonely Planet Kids).

Qu Lan graduated from the China Academy of Art and now lives in France. She has illustrated for multiple publishers including Hachette, Usborne and Penguin Random House, as well as well-known brands such as Airbnb.

Carolina Rabei’s debut picture book illustrating Walter de la Mare’s poem, Snow (Faber), was published to critical acclaim, nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal, and featured on The Independent’s list of ‘11 Best Books for 4–to 7–Year-Olds’. Carolina has been published in 17 languages. She has also been published by Egmont and Templar.

 

More from Oxford Owl

• Animal-themed picture book ideas (Blog)
• Why is animal fiction important? (Blog)
• Four top tips for getting the most out of non-fiction (Blog)

Isadora Moon: The Summer Fun Activity Book

By Harriet Muncaster

Age 5-8

This enchanting activity book is a summer holiday must-have for fans of Isadora Moon.
Everyone’s favourite vampire-fairy will help you add some magic and sparkle to your child’s learning at home, with activities that develop their literacy and numeracy skills, and encourage problem solving, play and creativity. Your little learners can enjoy a spellbinding selection of colouring-in, search-and-find, simple maths puzzles and much more, brought to life by Harriet Muncaster’s irresistible pink and black artwork that you’ll recognise from the Isadora Moon books.

Take a sparkling sneak peak

Isadora and her family are off on holiday together. Where do you think they are going? Try a .

Win Isadora Moon: The Summer Fun Activity Book

You could win one of three copies of Isadora Moon: The Summer Fun Activity Book over on the Oxford Owl Facebook page. To enter, share a bit of vampire-fairy magic by commenting on the competition Facebook post with a sparkle emoji ✨

UK residents only. Entry closes at 11.59pm on Sunday 25th JuneÌý2023.

 

About the Activity Book

About the Author and illustrator

 

Harriet Muncaster is the author and illustrator of the internationally bestselling Isadora Moon series, Mirabelle and Emerald companion series, and middle-grade trilogy Victoria Stitch. She lives with her husband and daughter near some beautiful countryside in Bedfordshire, England.

 

More from Oxford Owl

• Free Isadora Moon activities
• Establishing a reading habit for the summer holidays and beyond (Blog)

Emerald and the Ocean Parade

By Harriet Muncaster

Age 5-8

Dive into a magical underwater world in this brand-new series featuring Isadora Moon’s mermaid friend, Emerald.

Isadora fans will love exploring a new corner of her magical world in a story that represents blended families and encourages being yourself.

It’s the perfect choice for little readers who are ready for a first chapter book with a splash of wildness and wonder. What’s more, this is a special gift edition packed with extra activities and things to make and do.Ìý

 

Win Emerald and the Ocean Parade

For your chance to win one of three copies of Emerald and the Ocean Parade, dive into our competition on the Oxford Owl Facebook page! To enter, comment on the competition post with a mermaid emoji 🧜�♀�

UK residents only. Entry closes at 11.59pm on Sunday 26^th March 2023.

 

About the book

About the Author and illustrator

 

Harriet Muncaster is the author and illustrator of the internationally bestselling Isadora Moon series, Mirabelle companion series, and middle-grade trilogy Victoria Stitch. She lives with her husband and daughter near some beautiful countryside in Bedfordshire, England.

 

More from Oxford Owl

• (Activity Download)
• Isadora Moon books, activities and more (Activities)
• Harriet Muncaster’s creative writing challenge (Blog)

Writing stories is the perfect way for your child to unleash their inner artist. Creating an entirely new world with only a pen, some paper, and a whole heap of imagination can be hugely exciting and rewarding, and also makes for fun literacy practice – but it can be hard to know where to start.

Harriet Muncaster, creator of the series, knows how difficult writers’ block can be. So, she has announced her creative writing challenge to focus your author-in-training and get them writing their best story yet!

For more videos from Harriet, including writing tips and readings from her books, visit our .

Top tips

Is your child excited to try the creative writing challenge, but doesn’t know where to begin? Harriet’s free is bursting with tips and activities to help your child get inspiration, create characters, design exciting plots, and even edit and publish their stories. Here are our top tips, inspired by the guide.

1. Create a character

Instead of starting with a plot, it can sometimes help to create a character first. Having an interesting character makes it much easier to come up with exciting adventures, because your child can simply imagine the strange situations their character would find themselves in.

If your child likes drawing, they could try sketching their ideas first. Picture prompts, like , can help with inspiration. What kind of person or creature would live in a deep dark swamp? Or in an underwater city? Or on a distant planet?

2. Give your character problems

Once your child has created a strong character, they need a problem to overcome. For example, you might look at what your character most wants to do or have in the future. What could stop them from doing or getting that?

Your child’s character might want to:

• Win a competition
• Find their way home
• Rescue someone
• Defeat a dangerous monster
• Escape somewhere scary

Remember: easy problems make boring stories. If the problem is too easy to solve, then fixing it will be fast and unrewarding.

“When your character is solving a problem, it is usually a good idea to have them try two things that do not work, before they get it right on number three (think Goldilocks!).”

3. Describe your world

Even with interesting characters and an exciting plot, your child’s story will not come to life without vibrant vocabulary. Using the right words lets the reader see the amazing scenes your child is imagining!

Encourage your child to use adjectives to describe what their character is seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, and tasting. Is that song quiet, deafening, screechy, or tinkling? Is that bridge enormous, tiny, strong, or rickety?

Similes are also great for inventive description. A simile is where you describe something as being like something else – for example, ‘the trains looked like giant metal caterpillars’, or ‘their eyes were round like saucers’.

4. Write lots!

This is Harriet’s most important tip. The more your child practises, the better they will get, and the more they will enjoy themselves!

For more advice and activities, download Harriet’s free .

 

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• 4 tips to inspire children’s creative writing
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• Christopher Edge’s includes his top 10 tips to get your child writing, as well as free activity sheets.