Nicola Davies is the author of more than 50 books for children: fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Her work has been published in more than 10 different languages and has won major awards in the UK, US, France, Italy and Germany. Harlon is aware of the quiet before they fall. She has time to see the moon setting behind the mountains, the shapes of her brother and sister against the indigo sky, against the dull pearl of the snow. When the siblings are separated, they must each find a way to follow Ma’s final, mysterious instruction. Their lives, and perhaps the future of humanity, depend on it.

For an unmissable festive treat, Juno Dawson’s Stay Another Day (Quercus) follows three siblings heading home to Edinburgh, where their perfect middle-class Christmas is soon threatened by some very big family secrets. Riffing on Christmas romcom themes, it’s a delicious family drama with a gritty contemporary edge. FN I'm looking for a song from the early 2000s to maybe 2019 by a female artist. I have it on an old MP3 player from various CDs. I can't find the CD (moved/traveled since then!) and the name is listed as 'Take it and Run'. Ok, I know most of the lyrics, I even know the ablum. What I don't know is the artist that did it. I am really hoping someone out there knows the songs on the cassette (yeah, it's from the late 80's to early 90's) One of the things that I find so extraordinary about this book, is how clearly It explains what we are doing to the world. Even though we do not have magical islands or ruthless Automators, we still have hope to fight against those who destroy nature. I believe that sometimes we forget what we do every day to nature, we say that we love it and think that’s enough. But if we carry on this way, feeding into the lies that whisk around us, we will not even have that love, and then how will we forgive ourselves for the catastrophe we have caused? But as I have said before, the main message of this book isn’t the chaos we are causing, it is the hope we still have. It is not too late. The Primary School Library Alliance is calling on the government to match-fund the private investment it has brought into helping primary schools c...Then there’s the ability to communicate with animals known as Siardw, just a vowel away from siarad, to speak. Then there more overt appearance of the language, such as the mighty Rhinoceros known as Cryf and other animals called Tarth and Blewog. You can absolutely see the care that Davies has for the subject, and her research and experience definitely pays off; the sheer level of detail with regards to nature, different species, ecosystems, and more gives the story a layer of realism that otherwise could feel very superficial. The Song That Sings Us is a complex tale with a strong sense of heart and justice. It’s not just above caring for the planet but those on it too, whether they move on no legs, four legs, or two. The pace barely lets up, so it’s a good choice not only for those interested in environmental issues but those who enjoy fantasy-action. Nicola Davies's seemingly boundless enthusiasm for studying animals of all kinds has led her around the world--and fortunately for young readers, she is just as excited about sharing her interests through picture books. The zoologist's latest offering puts a decidedly quirky twist on her years of experience: POOP: A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE UNMENTIONABLE is a fun, fact-filled guide to the fascinating world of poop across species. "As a zoologist, you are never far from poop!" the writer explains. "I've baked goose poop in an oven with my dinner, looked at bat poop under the microscope, and had my T-shirt stained pink with blue-whale poop. I was obviously fated to write this book."

The delineation between humans and animals is blurred and there are some interesting ideas around bionetworks and the interconnectivity of species. But this is not just a book for ecowarriors. Anyone who enjoys a really good adventure thriller will love it – and readers may never feel quite the same way about elephants ever again. Following the start of her writing career, Nicola became a senior lecturer in creative writing, at Bath Spa University but has been writing full time for over a decade. She now regularly runs workshops for children and adults to help them find their voices as writers and advocates for nature. In 2017, she was the first recipient of the SLA’s award for Outstanding Contribution to Children’s Non-fiction and in 2018 had four picture books longlisted for the Greenaway Award. Keep a-movin', Dan, don't you listen to him, DanHe's a devil, not a manAnd he spreads the burnin' sand with waterDan, can you see that big, green tree?Where the water's runnin' freeAnd it's waitin' there for you and me?Water, cool, clear water The shadows sway and seem to say"Tonight we pray for water, cool water"And way up there He'll hear our prayerAnd show us where there's waterCool, clear waterEverything runs through this place. … Every song and every story ever told runs through here and reaches out across the world. If you could draw them on this map it would vanish under a million threads.