First Book Prize of 2008

The first book prize of 2008 goes to a first time author! Waterstone's Book Prize is awarded to Ways to Live Forever by Sally Nicholls. Our Newcastle correspondent tells me that not many years ago Sally was involved as a young judge herself - for the NE Book Award - now she's a winner. A brilliant book - such a laugh in places that the funniness makes the sadness extra striking, best for ages around 10 up.

8 - 12 Fiction, Marion Lloyd Books (Scholastic) £7.99, 9781407104997

A Black Hero in White Ice Peril

Arctic Hero by Catherine Johnson is a terrific biography telling the story of Matthew Henson and getting everything into just 55 pages! He was an explorer of the Arctic icecap in the days long before modern safety equipment and aircraft support. The book is in the Barrington Stoke Reality Check series with an interest age of 10 - 14.

12 - 16 Information, Barrington Stoke, £5.99, 9781842994931

Tens of Thousands of Street Children

Victorian Britain? Send for Dr Barnardo? No, this is here and now: in our world even as we snuggle down for a cosy read. Sally Grindley's new book Broken Glass tells of two brothers in India living rough and scavenging a hard life out of little chances. It's a touching tale set in a harsh world with the dangers and hazards of such existence bringing excitement to the book.

8 - 12 Fiction, Bloomsbury, £5.99, 9780747586159

The Woman With Super-Strength Hands

who has such heavily ring laden fingers anyone would think that only short bits of writing would ever be possible has a new book of 399 pages! Yes, Jacqueline Wilson's My Sister Jodie is as amazingly good as ever - though it's really for her older fans, and anyone else age 11-12ish and up. If weighted finger-exercising was an Olympic sport Britain would have a Gold Medal Champion!

12 - 16 Fiction, Doubleday, £12.99, 9780385610124

Blood and Gore Last 400 Years

When William Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, comic books were unknown - but he was writing the perfect comic book story - spooky! Now perfect picture-strip illustrators have done just what Macbeth has been waiting for. Classical Comics have published three versions of the story each with the same dramatic and beautifully bloody artwork. There's a fast-paced-read one, a plain English version and the third is all of Willy the Shake's splendid original words - terrific idea, and terrific books.

Poetry and Plays, Classical Comics, £9.99 each, Quick Text - 9781906332051, Plain text - 9781906332044, Original Text 9781906332037

Shocking Words on Book Cover

Some of the loads of words splurged across the cover of Accidents of Nature by Harriet McBryde Johnson are really striking - horrible terms - but they do get used in cruel talk. Inside is a beautiful, heartrending book about 17 year old wheelchair mobile Jean.

12 - 16 Fiction, Andersen, £5.99, 9781842707418

Coke Under Threat

It's well known, but probably not true, that the secret recipe for Coca Cola is known to just a few people. A thrilling tale by Brian Falkner involves evil criminals kidnapping those who know in a cruel attempt to cash in on the drinks business millions. But a boy and his sidekick get caught up in things: the title? - what else but The Real Thing.

12 - 16 Fiction, Walker, £4.99, 9781406312386

When Was God Born?

This and lots more questions are covered in a bright and cheerful style in an unusually shaped book, The Book of When by Laura Jaffé, illustrated by François Cointe.
8 - 12 Information, Abrams, £7.95, 9780810972407

Daring!

That's Emma Woodhouse as she schemes, plans and plots get-togethers involving her friends Harriet Small and George Knightly. The classic Emma gets a modern update in a sensitive and indeed artfully scheming manner by the superb writer Rosie Rushton in Secret Schemes and Daring Dreams.

12 - 16 Fiction, Piccadilly, £7.99, 9781853409424