Where can we use the story bags? We recommend using them in the gallery, or galleries, that link to the topic. We recommend around 30 minutes for a story bag, but the exact length of time will vary across different groups. You are welcome to book a story bag regardless of the age group they are aimed at. How do we book a story bag for our school or group? Please book your story bag in advance as we only have one of each. The shortlists consist of 18 books across three categories. Six books will compete within each category to be crowned Category Winner, with the three category winners then vying for the overall title of Waterstones Children’s Book Prize Winner 2023. Author Anna Kemp introduces The Hollow Hills, the sequel to her dark magical tale, Into Goblyn Wood.

Reading comprehension dice (2 giant dice to roll to find a reading comprehension question to answer) Nadia Mikail has been named Overall Winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize for her debut novel, The Cats We Meet Along The Way, which also won the Older Reader's Category.The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries: Drama and Danger by J T Williams, illustrated by Simone Douglas (Farshore) The Missing Piece by Jordan Stephens (author), Beth Suzanna (illustrator) (Bloomsbury Children's Books) How Many Legs-A story bag for numeracy and animals - use in the Natural Northumbria and Living Planet galleries. The Cats We Meet Along The Way, Nadia Mikail's debut novel, tells the story of Aisha and her quirky family who, with the world due to end imminently, embark on an eventful road trip across Malaysia to find her estranged sister June. Inspired by the author's experience of worrying about her family during the pandemic, Nadia Mikail tells a gentle, affecting, and hopeful debut about what is most important when time is running out. Kim Hillyard’s self-illustrated picture book is both a charming and moving story about feeling anxious and alone and how the best way of coping is to tell someone and ask for help. I really loved the birds who think Gretel is awesome and Gretel herself is adorable (loved the spectacles). All in all, I think young readers will enjoy it and it’s also a good way of introducing them to managing their mental health.

For example, habitat loss across the Natural Northumbria and Living Planet galleries. When you arrive for your visit, staff will assist you in identifying a suitable space for reading the story. M.T. Khan's Nura and the Immortal Palace won the Younger Readers' category and Kim Hillyard's Gretel the Wonder Mammoth took the category for Illustrated Books Gretel’s anxiety is aided by her friends being there for her and reassuring her that she has a place in the world, despite being one of a kind, and Gretel herself is a very cute and appealing (and rather Moomin-like) animal character that children will love. Somebody Swallowed Stanley- A story bag for understanding plastic pollution - use in the Living Planet gallery.

This utterly delightful picture book by Kim Hillyard, author of the empowering and sweet Mabel and the Mountain, is all about finding the confidence to be ourselves in what sometimes seems like a scary world; sometimes, we can feel that we don’t fit in, and that everyone else is different to us. The Nottinghill Carnival takes central stage in this story about families, memories and the power of dance and festivals. Author Yaba Badoe tells...

David Almond introduces his new picture book, A Way to the Stars, a story about perseverance and finding a way to make dreams come true. Gretel – who has been hibernating inside an iceberg for quite some time - is the last mammoth left on earth, and everyone loves her. She’s kind, understanding and strong and has plenty of new friends. Still, the world that Gretel wakes up to is rather different to the one she remembers, and although she tries her hardest to fit in, Gretel starts to feel sad. Rather than bother her new friends, Gretel goes off to be on her own, but she soon finds that makes her feel worse. How can she get the hang of living in this new world, where she feels she doesn’t belong? Fortunately, her friends are there to help Gretel find herself – and stroke her woolly feet to make her feel better.The Illustrated Books category went to Gretel the Wonder Mammoth by Kim Hillyard, a pitch-perfect story encouraging children to embrace their feelings as they follow the story of Gretel, the last woolly mammoth on earth, who gets a little overwhelmed and lonely after returning to the world from a very long sleep in the ice. If you ask for a story bag when you arrive, we will do our best to help you, but it may be unavailable if already booked by another school or group. Nadia Mikail says: "I was really missing my family when I started writing this book, and constantly worrying about them during the pandemic, so I wrote it as sort of a worst-case scenario situation, like what would happen if the apocalypse was about to happen, and I was away from my loved ones. In the midst of trying to kind of work out those anxieties through writing, I realised the only thing we can do is care for the people we love every day and hope for a better future for them even when things seem hopeless." I am NOT a Prince by Rachael Davis (author), Beatrix Hatcher (illustrator) (Hachette Children's Group) The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries: Drama and Danger by J.T. Williams (author), Simone Douglas (illustrator) (Farshore)