Coventry Inspiration Book Awards: The Runners-Up

Last week, we announced the winners, which means there are some very worthy runners up that were class favourites that we haven’t looked at books to read after.

What’s The Story – How To Count To One by Casper Salmon, illustrated by Matt Hunt

A hilariously bossy picture book about counting that children will love to outsmart!

You know how to count, right? GREAT! There are LOADS of fun things to count in this book. Whales, baboons, rainbows, pyramids . . . There’s just rule. You must ONLY ever count to ONE. So don’t even about THINK bigger numbers. OK?!

Get ready to show off your skills in this fun new counting book! But all is not as it seems . . . is this book really only about counting to ‘ONE’? Because there are SO MANY fun things that you could count. But – wait – maybe there’s a way to outsmart the book . . . and count all the way up to 100!

If this was your favourite, do try One Fox by Kate Read

A stunning counting book and thrilling farmyard adventure from the brilliantly talented author and illustrator, Kate Read whose luscious artwork is a mixture of collage, printing and drawing, creating layers of beautiful texture and detail.

One famished fox with two sly eyes is on the prowl . . . three plump hens had better watch out!

The rich, close-up illustrations take the reader to the heart of the drama in this exciting story set in a moonlit farmyard. With something different to count in every picture, learning numbers from one to ten has never been so much fun, while the story will keep everyone gripped to the last, hugely satisfying page.

Telling Tales –  Wildsmith by Liz Flanagan, illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton

When war threatens her beloved city, Rowan and her mother must flee to the Dark Forest, meeting Grandpa and his white wolf Arto for the first time. Though she misses her father, Rowan makes new friends – including a trio of powerful witches. When she rescues a baby dragon from poachers, she discovers the secret of her own identity: Rowan is a wildsmith! Fostering a whole clutch of dragons, the summer speeds by. But when danger threatens, Rowan and her grandpa must call on all their friends for help.

If this was your favourite book, look out for the next book in the series, Wildsmith: City Of Secrets. You can also try Do Not Mess With The Mermaids by Michelle Robinson, illustrated by Sharon Davey

Wondermere is expecting a very important visitor: the mermaid queen of the Outer Ocean. That means frilly dresses and best behaviour – and absolutely NO RULE BREAKING. But when a purple dragon egg falls into the moat of Wondermere castle, Grace and her sister Princess Portia find themselves babysitting a big secret. One teeny tiny little dragon called Dennis couldn’t possibly disturb the royal visit, could he?

A cheeky, charming and laugh-out-loud funny read

Hooked On Books – Deadlock by Simon Fox 

An explosive new adventure from the author of the unputdownable Running Out of Time. Simon Fox is a rising star in a new generation of thriller writers.

Archie Blake thought his policeman father teaching him how to pick locks and open safes was just a bit of fun. But when a diamond necklace is stolen and his dad is arrested, Archie realises the only way to prove Dad’s innocence is to go on the run and use everything he’s learned to uncover the truth.

But Archie soon finds himself deeply tangled in the criminal underworld, where it’s hard to know who to trust and even harder to see what’s right or wrong. Will Archie be able to find a way out before it’s too late?

If this was your favourite book, try S.T.E.A.L.T.H. Access Denied by Jason Rohan.

They’re in a race to save his dad … and the world.

When his dad disappears, Arun Lal is amazed to discover that he was secretly working on a classified project and has been kidnapped by people intent on stealing it.

Along with his geeky best friend Sam and tough-talking Donna, Arun is plunged into a race to rescue his father and find his creation before the thieves can turn it into a destructive global weapon…

Full of thrilling high-octane car chases and more, this is the first in an explosive new action-adventure middle grade series. 

Happy reading!