Children’s books

Up and Down

A small boy and his penguin friend do everything together. But when the penguin goes away to seek greater challenges, such as flying, the boy is distraught – especially when he discovers the dangerous challenge the penguin is about to take on. But where will he find his friend to save him? This is a sturdy little board book with Jeffers’s iconic minimalist illustrations. An excellent read for the child who is coming to terms with school and making friends.

EVIE BROOKS IN CENTRAL PARK SHOWDOWN by Sheila Agnew (O’Brien €7.99): The second in the Evie Brooks series sees this likeable teenager facing up to potentially life-changing challenges in her ‘adopted’ New York home. As well as grieving for her mother she now resents the fact that her matchmaking attempts to get Uncle Scott and Joanna to gel have failed miserably and so she has to adapt to a new love rival for his attentions. Her own relationships with both boys and girls are also rocky at times. The biggest trauma, however, is the appearance, after an absence of some 13 years, of her father who now wants to claim custody of Evie. Again featuring sparkling teen dialogue, the novel also shines a sometime unflattering light on the machinations of supposedly mature adults. Hopefully a third Evie Brooks adventure will follow. Age 12+

THE GUNPOWDER PLOT by Nick Hunter (Bloomsbury €13.85). Following seething conflict and repression during Elizabeth’s reign, Catholics expected a more liberal treatment at the hands of King James, son of the Catholic Mary Queen of Scots. When their hopes were dashed by his equally restrictive regime, plots were hatched to assassinate him, along with the sitting parliament. The rest is history, but as usual the quirky details and side notes illuminate this latest historical volume from the National Archive. A letter from a friend warning Lord Monteagle not to attend parliament gave the game away. And equally unbelievably, some plotters tried to dry their rain-soaked gunpowder by a fire! Age 10+