Michael Catchpool

The first in a funny and lively new chapter book series – Maple Street. Written for first readers, about a Black British extended family – Jake, older sister Ellie, little brother Sam, Mum, Dad and Grandad, all living in Maple Street. Jake in the Middle has four delightful interlinked stories about home and school life – Shoes, Shoes, Shoes! where naughty Sam runs off with Jake’s new trainers; Catch of the Day, where a favourite toy falls into the pigsty at the city farm; The Class Museum, featuring a special fossil Jake  ‘borrowed’ from Ellie’s bedroom; and All Fall Down, where Grandpa displays his amazing cricket skills.

SuperJoe – superhero in the making – is far too busy to say sorry. He tears around the house sending invading space aliens back into orbit, rescuing passengers from sinking ships, and bravely facing prehistoric perils, while leaving a trail of broken toys, spilled bath water and displaced goldfish in his wake. But one sound keeps interfering with his supersonic hearing . . . and that’s the sound of his little sister crying. Can SuperJoe swallow his pride and say the one little word that will make everything better?The laugh-out-loud follow up to SuperJoe Does NOT Do Cuddles, this second outing by our loveable superhero is sure to help even the most stubborn pre-schooler learn the value of saying sorry.