It's the first Thursday in October, which means lots of great stories are born today. The kind you snuggle up to read beside a fire, under a duvet, or with a hot drink. Put on your extra-thick socks & your reading glasses, because you're going to want these...

The Book of Hopes is the brainchild of effervescent dreamer Katherine Rundell and offers over 100 morsels of delight from children’s authors (including me) & illustrators, to lift your spirits. An anthology of delight.

The Lost Spells is the 2nd collaboration between @JackieMorrisArt & @RobGMacfarlane, following on from The Lost Words. It’s bloody beautiful. You need to own it. If you can read it outdoors, with children, then all the better.

Irresistible, gripping & unforgettable, Cane Warriors, by The Guardian Prize-winning, master of words, @brixtonbard , follows the true story of Tacky’s War in Jamaica, 1760. Wheatle’s one of the best YA writers out there, so you know this is going to be excellent.

The Midnight Swan by Catherine Fisher is the 3rd in The Clockwork Crow series. It promises to be intriguing and full of mystery, with an invisible girl and a pen that writes by itself. (That pen sounds pretty useful to me).

Set in Italy during plague times, @Kiran_MH is bringing you a story of a girl’s search for her missing mother, following clues carved from bone. This unique story will be told in Kiran’s trademark poetic prose and promises to be unforgettable.

Looking for something wonderfully absurd? Look no further than The Orphans of St Halibuts, a hilarious caper starring Pamela (a goat!) and a hilarious cast of characters. This is the debut of @SophsWills , illustrated by @DavidTazzyman.

Loved @jamieillustrate ’s bestselling Frostheart? You’re going to want to grab a copy of Frostheart 2 - Escape from Aurora. In this extraordinarily pretty 2nd book in the series, Ash can’t wait to solve the next clue that'll lead him to his parents. WARNING: This book is stunning

The Beast and the Bethany is the debut that everyone is buzzing about from @MeggittPhillips . Deliciously dark, this story promises to be gruesome & murderous. Perfect for the month of Halloween.

Let's about @mossmontmomery ’s Bottom. When I got my hands on it, I knew his bottom was funny & accident-prone… no, not his bum, his book, Rock Bottom, a hilarious & romantic story from a brilliant author & those folks @BarringtonStoke who publish stories for struggling readers

Fairy godmother @sophieinspace is an award winning spinner of tales. Her stories entrap you in their sparkling threads and have the power to stop time. Prepare to enter The Castle Of Tangled Magic, her newest and some mention most powerful story yet. I can’t bloody wait.

Jungledrop is the second adventure in the world of The Unmapped Chronicles from author extraordinaire Abi Elphinstone AKA @moontrug. This one was moved from June, so the wait has been almost been unbearable but finally, it’s here!

Wishing you could have the summer back? Then dive into this debut by @kereengetten which is a wonderful story about friendship.

Think it’s too early to be preparing for Christmas? WRONG! Now is the perfect time to get ready for the festive season & you’ll want this to read around a log fire. From fantastic author @doyle_cat, The Miracle on Ebenezer Street is a retelling of Dicken’s A Christmas Carol

Looking for a YA snow-dusted love story? Then how about going back to 1931 and following 18-year-old Freya chase her dream to become an actress? This is the new book from @lauraclarewood & is so gorgeous it’s certain to be loved.

No one writes a thriller like @FleurHitchcock. The newest Clifftoppers adventure: The Frost Castle Adventure, looks breathtakingly good, with blizzards, ghosts, curses & everything a young reader hopes for in an adventure. You probably need the whole series.

Do you know children who like to be a part of their stories, because if so then check out @rhipratchett’s Crystal of Storms, an astonishingly imaginative, edge of your seat adventure, part story, part game, where the reader is the hero.

A Clock of Stars by Francesca Gibbons is a timeless fantasy, set in a magical kingdom where two sisters are in a race against time, featuring illustrations by
@chrisriddell50 This book is bound to enchant.

She’s called Strange and her stories are uncannily good. The newest gripping tale from @theLucyStrange
is The Ghost of Gosswater. It promises chill, thrills, and heartaches. If you haven’t read her yet, all three of her books are sublime.

Empress of YA, @malorieblackman , past children’s laureate and damn fine storyteller is blessing us with BLUEBLOOD – a fairy tale revolution. She’s remixing and reviving old stories, and this is her version of Bluebeard. You know it’s going to be good.

In a fortnight, Hollowpox will be whizzing into bookshops from the enchantress @digressica . It's the third book in the Nevermoor series that followed the adventures of Morrigan Crow – a cursed child. Your bookshelves need the complete collection.

Never & Forever came out 2 weeks ago & is the 3rd & final book in the magical Wizards of Once trilogy by reigning Children’s Laurette @ all-round wizard of a woman
@CressidaCowell . If we’re in for a locked-down Christmas get your kids the whole trilogy. They’ll love you for it.

Blue Peter Book Award-winner, @vashti_hardy
has teamed up with @BarringtonStoke to bring you The Griffin Gate, illustrated by @natsmillie. Think steampunk, fantasy adventure with family at its heart, great for struggling readers and anyone who loves a well-written story.

So, if you’re thinking of stockpiling for a second lockdown, may I recommend you combine it with prep for the festive holidays? Buy a tonne of books to go with your brandy & toilet paper. After all, you’ll need something to read on the loo…

WE INTERRUPT THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WITH BIG NEWS!
A Kind of Spark by @BooksandChokers which was published by @_KnightsOf in June, is SO GODDAMN GOOD it is @waterstones book of the month for October - the biggest month in publishing!! Just BUY IT. NOW!

Like your stories ecological (I do) and beautifully illustrated? Then take a peek into the pages of Shadowspring the 2nd International Yeti Collective book from @writerpaulmason and # Katy Riddell, where yetis help save the world from the greed of humans