Literature galore for Children’s Month as Exclusives books unveils its curated offering for young readers
BY CityLife Arts Writer
Young readers are this month spoilt for choice, and parents better be sure that whatever they are doing with their budgets, they must put side a decent budget item titled Money for My Child’s Reading Pleasure. Yes these books are not school work, but are for reading for pleasure, and not meant for your child to pass a test. However as we all know, having literary skills. Any literary skills is a huge asset in tackling tests for academic purposes.
Therefore welcome to Exclusive Books Recommends list this Children’s Month July, a celebration of stories and young minds!
This month the leading book retailer presents a perfectly curated selection of literary treasures, featuring compelling fiction from two #1 New York Times Bestselling authors and literary legend Isabel Allende alongside captivating titles for younger readers. Dive into a month filled with stories that spark imagination, stir emotions, and transport you to worlds both familiar and fantastical.
This unforgettable debut novel from Florence Knapp that became an instant global sensation, The Names asks how a name can shape the course of a life and explores the singlewhat-if moments that can overturn a person’s fate.Tomorrow – if morning comes, if the storm stops raging – Cora will register thename of her son. Or perhaps, and this is her real concern, she’ll formalise who he will become.
. The story unfolds as Joan trains alongside a diverse group of candidates, including a Top Gun pilot and various mission specialists, each with their own dreams and challenges.
#1 New York Times bestselling author, Kristin Hannah’s, Summer Island is the story of thirty-four-year-old Ruby Bridge a not-too-successful comedienne who uses her mother, a nationally syndicated “moral and spiritual counselor” as the main fodder for her cynical, rather bitter humor. Her mother Nora, long divorced from Ruby’s father, is a woman whose past is just about to catch up with her – in the form of blackmail by a former lover. After an accident (an attempted suicide?) Ruby returns to care for her stricken mother – bitterly resenting the fact that once again her mother’s life has colonized hers. When she is approached by a publisher to write a biography of her mother, Ruby is desperate for the princely sum offered. Yet her research into her mother’s past reveals a woman very different from the one Ruby expected.
Blueprints – How mathematics shapescreativity by Marcus du Sautoy, the acclaimed mathematician and Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science at the University of Oxford, looks to the arts to uncover the key mathematical structures that underpin both human creativity and the natural world. ‘Brilliantly clear and captivating prose’ Stephen Fry Selfies, Sexts, and Smartphones is the book every teenager (and their parents) should read. At least, that was true seven years ago. The digital world moves at breakneck speed. Today’s teens must navigate AI, deep fakes, misinformation, and so much more. Meanwhile, the law struggles to keep up, leaving plenty of hidden legal pitfalls. If fully developed adult brains struggle with it, what hope does a teenager’s freshly baked prefrontal cortex have? Enter Rorke and Emma. Emma is a continental digital-law specialist,and Rorke, an elder Gen Z, has the lived experience teens can relate to. Together, they break down the digital world’s biggest challenges and help teens to exist consciously – and, hopefully, safely – online. How Not to Mess Up Online covers every topic: new laws, cyberbullying, sexting, sextortion, addiction, online safety, deep fakes, mental health, privacy, reputation, misinformation, scams, AI, ChatGPT, plagiarism, and much more – all in a South African context.
Children’s Month at Exclusive Books
The joy of reading begins young, and this month’s selection of children’s titles celebrates creativity, wonder, and the boundless potential of a child’s imagination for Children’s Month. From enchanting picture books to adventurous tween novels, these stories inspire curiosity and encourage a lifelong love of literature. Perfect for bedtime reading or independent exploration, these books are a must-have for the young and young-at-heart.
7 – 9-year-olds
Ever wondered what donuts get up to when they’re not being eaten? No, because that would be silly! But it turns out, donuts have BIG PLANS FOR WORLD DOMINATION!!! Meet Sprinkles, the leader of the Squad; Jammyboi, who spreads stickiness EVERYWHERE; Dadnut and Lil’ Timmy, who explain obscure facts, and Spronky, who is bizarrely unconventional! But don’t mention the arch-nemeses of the donuts . . . the bagels, secretly plotting Donut Squad’s doom! Guffaws guaranteed!
Author Neill Cameron is a cartoonist and writer, and creator of the award-winning Mega Robo Bros series and How to Make Awesome Comics. He is also the author/illustrator of the popular middle-grade novels Freddy vs School, Freddy and the New Kid and Freddy the Superstar. Neill
also runs regular comic workshops for children at The Story Museum in Oxford.
0 – 5-year-olds
Embark on a moonlit adventure with The Nocturnal Nine and discover the wonders of the night! Tonight was an adventure of a different kind, the details and time of departure we were yet to find. We were told to dress warmly and come well-prepared, with our hats and jackets on and binoculars to be shared. A nighttime adventure was about to begin as the colours started to change and dusk set in. ‘The Nocturnal Nine’ are not your usual crew, in fact there are very few. The midnight gang, not afraid of the dark for evening is when they find their spark. Join our adventure as we drive through the game park, looking for these creatures, from the owl to the aardvark.
0 – 5-year-olds
Discover the vibrant world of African birds in this enchanting tale. Join The Feathered Five on an unforgettable adventure as they navigate the cacophony of the African savanna. Enough was enough, the birds woke up grumpy and mad, as they let the noise of the Hadedas’ turn a good start to bad, (we’ve heard it before, a call on repeat, an annoying sound that is far from discreet!). Tired and frustrated, now running late, many birds concerned they might miss a very special date. For today was a day of great celebration, as they had a party to attend for the Yellow-billed Kites’ homecoming migration. Excuse after excuse, the exhausted Secretary Bird had a hard time remembering their reasons for delay.
The Nocturnal NineandThe Feathered Fiveauthor RoslynneToerien is a proudly South African mother of three young children, residing in Durban, KZN. She holds a Bachelor of Education and has a love for teaching, writing, and dance. Ros is the CEO and Founder of the South African Non-Profit Trust, The LEARN Project. The illustrations are by Rachel Nyman an Illustrator and Artist.
0 -5-year-olds
Zazi dreams about dancing, but she’s too scared to try. What if she’s not good enough? What will people say? With encouragement from her parents Zazi faces her fears and finds the courage to listen to her heart. Dance To Your OwnBeat by RefiloeMoahloli, is an inspiring story about following your dreams and allowing others to support you on the journey. This book is also available in isiZulu, isiXhosa, Sesotho and Afrikaans.
Author Refiloe is the best-selling and award-winning author of How many ways can you say hello? How many ways can you say goodbye? Yes Yanga! (YhekeYanga! in isiXhosa), We Are One, Know My Name, You Are Loved, Part of a Team, Let’sPlay, AFriend for All Seasons and All That I Am.
0 – 5-year-olds
Life is never easy – it is littered with obstacles; some that are expected, but others can sneak up on us like a bear in the woods! But overcoming these obstacles and adversity can help to make us stronger, braver, and maybe even a little wiser. And that’s the magic of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen – it is a joy to read, whether that’s children or even their adult reading partners. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt is a deceptively simple children’s book that delivers a surprisingly profound life lesson with every turn of the page.
Author MichaelRosen is an English children’s author, poet, presenter, political columnist, broadcaster, activist, and academic, who is a professor of children’s literature in the Department of Educational Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London. He has written over 200 books for children and adults. Select books include We’re Going on a Bear Hunt (1989) and Sad Book (2004). He served as Children’s Laureate from June 2007 to June 2009. He won the 2023 PEN Pinter Prize, awarded by English PEN, for his “fearless” body of work. Illustrations are by Helen Oxenbury.