Gift Guide for 9-12 Year Olds

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This Christmas, our Booksellers have been busy curating gifting guides to suit all. Whether you're buying for that cousin who lives to travel, a Cricket obsessed uncle; looking for the perfect gift for little ones, big ones or difficult ones, we've got you covered.

Presenting our Gift Guide for 9-12 Year Olds:

Alice With a Why

Anna James (author), Matthew Land (illustrator)

England, 1919. Alyce – with a Y – lives with her grandmother, the original Alice, having lost her father during the great war. When a mysterious invtation to a tea party hits her square in the face, Alyce realises her grandmother’s strange stories of a place called Wonderland might have some truth to them after all. But the land Alyce finds herself in feels different to the Wonderland of her grandmother’s stories – for it is trapped in its own war. The Sun King and the Queen of the Moon are fighting over a stolen hour, and soon Alyce is tasked with setting it right. With the help of the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and a Sailor Fox, Alyce will have to solve Wonderland’s problems and, eventually, find her way back home. An enchanting adventure through Wonderland, and featuring new characters as well as old favourites, Alice With a Why is both a celebration of Lewis Carroll’s beloved original story, and a modern masterpiece.

The Last Bard

Maz Evans

Will Davenant has known more tragedy than laughter, but there's a new twist in his family story when he inherits his grandfather's Complete Works of Shakespeare – and the Bard's characters spring from its pages. As Shakespeare's last living relative, Will can summon the book's heroes, including the murderous Lady Macbeth, Juliet (without her Romeo), Yorick the mournful skull and a mischievous Puck. With his late grandfather's home under threat, Will, his new friends and Ani from next door must fight for their future in a comedy of errors. Can love's labours win? Or will it all be much ado about nothing?

Otherlands

Thomas Halliday (author), Gavin Scott (illustrator)

Travel millions of years into the past, and explore worlds you might only have dreamt of, but that actually existed. From woolly mammoths to early humans, find out how plants and trees and creatures great and small shared a world very different from our own. And uncover the footprints they left behind. . . Starting with the last ice age and ending when the very first animals started to swim and hunt, this illustrated journey back through time is adapted from the bestselling Otherlands by Thomas Halliday. It is written by the author, with illustrations by Gavin Scott.

Frankenstein

Mary Shelley (author), MinaLima (illustrator)

A deluxe illustrated edition of Mary Shelley’s horror classic – the first story in a bold new direction for the MinaLima Classics, the best-selling series from the renowned design studio behind the graphics for the Harry Potter film franchise – featuring original full-color artwork and interactive elements. Frankenstein has terrified and delighted readers since its initial publication in 1818. Victor Frankenstein’s Creature—stitched together from the limbs of the dead, taken from “the dissecting room and the slaughterhouse”—is a grotesque being who, rejected by his maker and starved of human companionship, embarks on a journey of revenge. In the most famous gothic horror story ever told, Mary Shelley confronts the limitations of science, the nature of human cruelty, hubris, and ambition, and the pathway to forgiveness. Shelley’s revered novel comes to life as never before in this inventive edition showcasing the magical artistry of MinaLima. Brimming with original illustrations and seven extraordinary interactive features, delve into MinaLima’s captivating interpretation which includes:

Scarlet Morning

ND Stevenson

From the powerhouse creator of Nimona comes a breathtaking illustrated novel following two orphans who leave the only home they’ve ever known to sail with an eccentric crew of pirates. Viola and Wilmur have been waiting for their parents for fifteen boring years in the colorless town of Caveat. Their lives are a drudge of salt, trash, pirate stories, and what-ifs. . . until one very stormy night, when Captain Cadence Chase breaks down their door. They cut a deal with the captain: Chase can take their most prized possession, a mysterious book, but only if she takes them, too. After all, if their parents aren’t coming, Viola and Wilmur might as well have a grand adventure to find them. Setting sail into the treacherous and beautiful world beyond Caveat, the two inseparable friends must uncover the facts behind legend—and the key to saving all of Dickerson’s Sea from obliteration—before the truth tears them apart. Wickedly funny, deeply emotional, and sharply incisive, Scarlet Morning is a tale of love, betrayal, and the extraordinary lengths we’d go to save a world broken beyond repair.

Hey Kids, Watch This!

A24

This book is jam-packed with over 100 kid - and adult - approved movie night recommendations that span decades, countries, and genres, with chapters for Preschoolers, Little Kids, Big Kids, and Tweens, featuring an introduction by Julian Shapiro-Barnum, host of Recess Therapy; an illustrated symbol system that flags age-inappropriate elements like scary characters or bad language; special sections dedicated to beloved genres and directors; fun activities and how-tos, including 'How to Watch and Talk About Movies'; and a family film tracker to log your loves, likes, and mehs.

The Court of the Dead

Rick Riordan (author), Mark Oshiro (author)

New York Times #1 bestselling authors Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro collaborate again on a new adventure in which demigod Nico di Angelo teams up with his half-sister Hazel Levesque to protect. . . monsters? A few months after returning from the depths of Tartarus, demigods Nico di Angelo and Will Solace agree to join Nico's half-sister Hazel Levesque at Camp Jupiter on the West Coast. She needs their help in managing a situation that the boys inadvertently brought about: the demigods showed the monsters of the Underworld that they have options; they don’t have to be evil. Now some of those monsters have taken up residence at Camp Jupiter to seek refuge. Nico and Will are on site, assisting Hazel when one by one monsters start disappearing from camp. A mysterious dark force is at work, and its plan is to punish all monsters for their past crimes. Things only get worse when Nico, Will, and Hazel learn that they’re all connected to it. . .

Choose Your Own Evolution

Jules Howard (author), Gordy Wright (illustrator)

Think of an animal, any animal at all. It could be a shark, a squid, a snail, or even a human like you! Every single animal has a secret history. A death-defying adventure that has happened across millions of years, called evolution. On every page, you will discover a new animal with its own exciting story to tell. It's up to YOU to make the decisions that will lead to their next evolutionary step. Can you survive to the present-day or will you face extinction along the way? Will you grow a backbone, take to the skies, or dive deeper for your dinner? For the first time ever, the journey is in your hands. . . This unique book features ferociously funny and brilliantly accessible science from zoologist, author and TV presenter Jules Howard. Meet chimpanzees and chickens, Tyrannosaurus rexes and tigers, with over 50 different animal endings to discover. The perfect introduction to the awe-inspiring story of life on Earth.

Kiki's Delivery Service

Eiko Kadono (author), Joe Todd-Stanton (illustrator), Emily Balistrieri (translator)

Puffin Clothbound Classics are stunning collectable hardback editions of some of the best-loved classics in the world - including this charming edition of Kiki's Delivery Service, which celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2025. 'Everyone has some type of magic inside them. . .' On her thirteenth birthday Kiki must decide whether she's going to leave home with her cat Jiji in tow and move to a town without another witch. She knows she has to use her magic to make a living, but Kiki's no good at potions or spells... Can Kiki learn to control her magic and make her own way in the world?

Big Ideas from Science

The School of Life (author), Anna Doherty (illustrator)

Science is all around us, helping to explain the ideas that matter in our life. By asking questions about how things work, we can gain a deeper understanding of the world and our place in it. Big Ideas from Science introduces children to some of the most influential scientists throughout history, and the amazing scientific breakthroughs that have changed the way we live – from the discovery of bronze to the invention of the microscope. With engaging facts and playful illustrations, children are encouraged to follow their innate curiosity, to look at the world in different ways and to try and make sense of it. The book shows us how science not only helps us invent incredible new technology, understand the structure of atoms or reach the moon, but can also help us with some of the most important questions in our lives: how can I become a wiser person, a better friend and a kinder, more compassionate human?