It’s a bit late this issue, I hope you can forgive us!
We’re waiting for the printed copies, but as soon as they arrive, we’ll distribute them to local houses.
If you would like a paper copy, please let me know by email, phone or message.
Here’s the digital edition, and as always, the books can be found in the BookTime category (you can also search by title, author or ISBN)
I’m mindful of the fact that lots of people visiting our website are doing so for the first time.
If that’s you: welcome to our humble bookshop!
(If you’ve visited before: hello, and welcome back!)
I thought it might be useful to do a “how to” on how to find your way around, and to place an order.
I’m assuming that you’ve found this post by clicking on a facebook or twitter link, so I’ll start from here.
The red circle highlights the section that you’re looking at. You can see along the top, underneath the logo, is a menu of the main pages on the website.
From this menu, you can navigate through the site. If you click on “Welcome” you’ll see the “landing page”, or the page you’ll come to if you type nickelbooks.co.uk into your browser’s address bar.
(you can bookmark that in the browser, if you want to!)
At the time of press, the Welcome page has a big heading explaining about possible delays because of covid – I will normally have a friendly “welcome” message there.
The next one along is “Shop”, which is where you’ll find everything we’ve got listed for sale on the website. You can read more about each item and you can generally browse the books (and toys).
The shop section is the most important part of the website, as it will describe each book/toy/map to you, give you extra information about the author, allow you to read excerpts, and download activity or teaching resources for the books.
When you’re in the Shop, you can add items to your basket, which shows at the top corner of each page.
Above the basket icon is a “search products” button and below it is a general website “search” button.
Checkout and My Account are next in the menu – Checkout is to buy your lovely goodies, and it will take you to your basket (which you can also get to by clicking on the basket at the top). In checkout, you can pay by card, Paypal or National Book Tokens. If you have a discount code, then there is a box for that too (until the end of April 2021, there’s a discount code for World Book Day – £1 off a normal priced book – just enter your WBD token barcode into the box)
The last menu item is Terms and Conditions – this one outlines our privacy policy (basically what we do with your data), and what the legal terms are around buying items from us. It’s a long page, but it’s very important!
There’s another menu on the right hand side of the page – “Recent Posts” – that’s this Blog and the most recent posts on here. You can also find out more about what we’ve been doing on our facebook and instagram.
As you scroll further down the page, you’ll see our standard welcome, and on the right hand menu, you’ll see a list of the categories our books fall into.
As the majority of our books are children’s, we’ve also got an “Adult” section. Everything else is Children’s.
There’s a separate category for BookTime magazine, which we will always try to highlight in the Blog posts for that issue.
I haven’t read every book in the shop, but I’ve read quite a few! and I’ve tried to add extra content to the lists to make it easier to decide if the book is for you.
At the bottom of the alphabetic list (I can’t change the order of the list!), you can see the Teenage/Young Adult section. I’ve deliberately separated books aimed at YA or teens, because it’s like a shop in itself!
As a website lends itself to allowing me to put books in more than one category, if the books appear only in this section, it’s very unlikely that they’ll be suitable for younger readers – that means they will have violence, swearing, talks about relationships that are too grown up for younger readers. As always, I recommend you as grown ups to decide whether your child may read the books in that section: I know that all children are different. I’m always on hand to answer any questions about suitability (and recommend books).
In the middle of the page, you can see “Shop by…” sections. They’re quite fun for browsing, so do take a look!
At the bottom of the page is the Footer menu.
That’s where you can link to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and our phone number and email address is there too, for quick reference.
At the very bottom is the link to our T&Cs, and a little advert for Woocommerce, which is the programme we’re using for the shop.
There’s also a Searcg function, which is at the very top right of the page, and also on the right-hand menu, underneath the ToyMark logo.
On mobile devices, the search should be at the bottom of the page with the basket icon.
Hopefully, this page will help you to navigate the website, and we look forward to receiving your orders!
Please do browse around, read the posts, have a look at the books to read about them and find your new favourite!
It’s Monday!
Today, I’m sharing activities and downloads for books by the authors of the 2021 World book Day Books
(they might not be related to the £1 books, but they’ll be fun!)
All download links will open in the usual way when you click the image or link, and any website links will open in a new tab.
Gigantosaurus Activities
What The Ladybird Heard paper chains, colouring and maze
Use your imagination to help Luna decide which book to get from the library!
Make a costume with Monster Horns!
Linked to Protect The Planet – an activity pack about The Blue Planet
Go on an adventure with Katherine Rundell
Ideas on how to write your own book,
from the British Library (opens in new tab)
Whale Activities from from the National Aquarium
Football School Activities
For Older Readers – the World Book Day Teen books have got their own website!
Click here to go to Meet The Authors
We’re counting down now to the big day!
Publishers are putting up links for Zoom events and videos, so I’ve tried to collate a few here – remember that you will normally have to sign up for these events, and schools as well as families can sign up.
Starting on Monday 1st, Puffin Virtually Live are doing webinar events with authorsYou do have to sign up for these, but it’s free, and you can sign up at home – details here:
https://www.puffinschools.co.uk/meet-an-author/
David Walliams is hosting an assemblyPlease click the link below for details and to register:
Join DAVID WALLIAMS for his AMAAAAAZING ASSEMBLY FOR WORLD BOOK DAY!
https://www.worldbookday.com/online-masterclasses/
(not for the sqeamish!)
A detective writing session with Serena Patel
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/live-lessons/world-book-day-2021-live-lesson/z2thm39
I hope you find something you love here!
Keep watching throughout the week as I’ll add more posts with other types of activities
Please also share with us what you’ve been doing, and watch the facebook page and instagram for more fun!
@nickelbooks on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, please tag us, @worldbookdaysocial, and hashtag #shareastory #worldbookday2021
Some of the publishers allow sneak-peeks of their books.
Wherever possible, I put these links on the listing of the book when I upload it to the Shop part of the website.
That’s not always possible, because there are just so many wonderful books for children in print!
So, I’ve made a few Book Walls for you to browse.
A Book Wall is a selection of books in a category (eg: Children’s Fiction), and you can click on any of the book covers and have a look at some of the pages in the book.
Do please bear in mind that not every publisher is featured on a Book Wall (but more are signing up all the time!), so if you don’t see the book you hoped for, just ask!
If it’s listed on this website, you can order it straight away. If it isn’t, then please send me an email and ask me to order it for you! (subject to availability)
Remember we can take National Book Tokens directly on the website, through email, or telephone (and car or paypal payments too!)
Delivery to UK addresses is always free (unless you’re buying the special £1 World Book Day books, in which case we have a minimum of 5, or free delivery to the Sititngbourne/Isle of Sheppey area).
As always, please contact us if you’re not sure, or would like advice, or to check the availability of your book!
In the previous blog post, I told you about what we were hoping to do for this year’s World Book Day.
I’m please to announce that these are the books you can choose from!
Remember, you can buy them with your special £1 WBD voucher, or you can buy them for a pound.
One token per child, as per the terms and conditions.
If you click on the picture by the book description, you will be taken to a sneaky-peek of the book.
There’s a Wolf in Your Book!
WOW! Monster, Dragon, Alien, and Witch have made you a book! Jump in to explore the interactive adventure inside … but make sure you watch out for the BIG BAD WOLF!
Luna Loves World Book Day!
Today is World Book Day and Luna can’t wait. She has the whole day planned… Dress up as her favourite book character: a unicorn! Meet an author and an illustrator. Buy a new book with her book token. But – disaster! – Luna the Unicorn’s costume has ripped! Can Dad come to the rescue with a magic potato?
Celebrate World Book Day with Luna, from the Luna Loves series: Luna Loves Library Day and Luna Loves Art!
What the Ladybird Heard PlayOne clever ladybird, two bungling burglars… and a whole farmyard of fun!
Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len are two crafty robbers with a cunning plan to steal the farmer’s fine prize cow. But little do they know that the tiniest, quietest creature of all has overheard their plot, and she has a plan of her own…
The first story in the brilliantly funny What the Ladybird Heard series has been adapted by author Julia Donaldson into a fun and easy-to-read play script, with bright and distinctive illustrations by Lydia Monks — perfect for reading aloud, acting out and even putting on your very own play!
Gigantosaurus!
“I’ve made this thing I call a ‘BOOK’. I might let you three have a look. We’ll play my game called DINO-SPOT. To win, you’ll have to spot the lot!” Bonehead thinks he’s the best dino spotter. But can he find GIGANTOSAURUS?
Planet Omar: Operation Kind
One of Omar’s best friends, Daniel, has a little sister who goes to hospital regularly. He usually finds it easy to cheer her up when she’s there, but this time he feels he needs to do something extra special.
Enter Omar and their other best friend Charlie to help with Operation Kind! The boys try to come up with the perfect surprise for Suzy, and when they find out her favourite author is in the UK for just one day it feels like it was meant to be.
Can the boys overcome all of the ridiculous obstacles that get thrown in their path and face their fears, in a race against time to get a signed copy of the book for Suzy?
Protect the Planet
Our planet is precious, and it’s up to us to take care of it. You may feel small, but your small actions can make a big difference. This book will teach you that by acting with kindness towards other people, plants, animals, and yourself, you can help to protect the planet.
The River Whale
Immy has always loved wild swimming; one day, she hopes to become a marine biologist. Tomorrow is the first step towards that goal – completing her entry level diving certificate.
But her plans for a good night’s sleep are ruined by a strange and vivid dream of a distressed whale in the river. At school she tries to shake it off, but discovers that her nightmare has leaked into reality.
Immy and her trusty friend Cosmo must head for the Thames on a mission to save the trapped river whale. Can Immy use her skills to release it from the rubbish-filled nets it’s caught in and guide it home?
Told in a mixture of free verse and prose, this is the beautiful new short adventure from Sita Brahmachari, with illustrations by Poonam Mistry.
Skysteppers
High above the streets of Paris live the rooftoppers, a secret gang of children who eat, sleep and tumble amongst the chimney pots. It’s a perilous life, but for Matteo and Mercedes the adventure is only just beginning. Caught up in a long-standing feud that threatens their existence amongst the stars, they find themselves on a hunt across Paris, tearing across the roofs of Versailles and the Louvre, searching for hidden treasure in a race against Henri Danglars – the enemy who would seek to destroy that which they love best.
From bestselling and multiple-award-winning author Katherine Rundell, this joyful new story of the rooftoppers of Paris is full of her trademark bravery and adventure. It’s a treat just waiting to be discovered.
Little Badman and the Radioactive Samosa
You’ve heard of Little Badman, right? No? Oh. Well. . . Doesn’t matter. You will do one day. He’s gonna be big.
Twelve-year-old Humza Khan, aka Little Badman is, amongst lots of other things: Eggington’s greatest rapper, a ninja, an all-round legend. That’s all according to Humza. And, to be honest, Eggington (his home town) is quite small. He has saved the word a couple of times though – from alien slugs and evil time-travelling teachers.
They are very cool adventures, and we’ll tell you about them some time, but this story will blow your mind. Humza and his two friends, Umer and Wendy, have narrowly avoided being hit by rock from outer-space. What does get hit, though, is a box of delicious samosas, which turn . . . radioactive. The three friends wake up the next day to find they have superpowers, which is pretty cool. What’s less cool is the giant hamsters roaming the town. Looks like a job for Little Badman and his crew . . .
Football School: 20 Amazing Football Stories
Find out the true stories of the star players, top teams and game changers who have shaped football history. Stories include:
- The secret behind Lionel Messi’s success
- The footballer who pooed on the pitch
- The greatest goat in football
- The incredible story of women’s football after World War I
The bestselling Football School series explains the world through football. This collection is packed with fascinating facts and super stats, so you’ll learn loads about football, as well as other amazing subjects such as history, science and geography.
Make reading even more fun by downloading these great activities from the Football School series:
Football School Biology Activity Kit
Football School Geography Activity Kit
Football School Physics Activity Kit
Kill Joy
Pippa Fitz-Amobi is not in the mood for her friend’s murder mystery party. Especially one that involves 1920’s fancy dress and pretending that their town, Little Kilton, is an island called Joy.
But when the game begins, Pip finds herself drawn into the make-believe world of intrigue, deception and murder. But as Pip plays detective, teasing out the identity of the killer clue-by-clue, the murder of the fictional Reginald Remy isn’t the only case on her mind . . .
Find out where it all began for Pip in this prequel to the best-selling A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and Good Girl, Bad Blood.
NB: Contains mature content. Not suitable for younger readers.
Skulduggery Pleasant: Apocalypse Kings
Three ancient gods are freed from their prison with only one desire: to destroy the planet and everyone on it.
To save us all, Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain must go undercover in a Dublin school. Skulduggery has to blend in with the teaching staff, while Valkyrie has to pass for an ordinary schoolgirl. Above all else, no matter what happens, they both must act completely and utterly normal.
We are so dead.
Please note: Not suitable for younger readers.
The Sneak-peek inside feature is called Book2Look and has been made possible by Nielsen Book, who provide a unique range of services, enabling books to be discovered by book buyers everywhere.
Remember to follow us on social media and tag us to share your stories on instagram, twitter and facebook – remember to @nickelbooks and @worldbookday, and hashtag #shareastory #10minutesaday #worldbookday2021 #worldbookday #nickelbooks
This year is a strange one (again!)
The last time we were out and about selling our books was World Book Day (WBD) last year.
This year will be very different – we won’t be able to visit your school, setting or nursery, but we DO have loads and loads of World Book Day books for you to “buy” with your £1 token.
The tokens are still being distributed, mostly in the same way, but there are also some electronic tokens. Your school/setting/nursery will provide you with the tokens in the same way (or remotely, Covid-dependent), and you can still swap them for the fantastic books, or as £1 off a normal-priced book.
Please do spread the word.
1: you can email me or phone me or message me through social media to ask for the book you want, and I will deliver it to your house.
2: if you live further afield, I can post you a book, but I will have to charge £1 for postage, because although these books are essentially free to you, I still have to pay for them!
3: if you would normally get a visit at school and get a WBD book or a normal book, we can still supply books to you. Please contact me separately to organise this, as your £1 token cannot be used on the website. (we can take normal Book Tokens, but the WBD tokens aren’t given a “value” on the website, so it cannot be redeemed that way)
4: I am going to be contacting those who run Free Little Libraries in the area to see if I can put some of the WBD books in those so that you can take them and leave your voucher with the Library.
6: I will be sharing as much WBD promotional material on here, Facebook and Instagram as I can, so that you have lots of ideas and activities you can do.
7: tag me or share your stories on social media: instagram, twitter and facebook – remember to @nickelbooks and @worldbookday, and hashtag #shareastory #10minutesaday #worldbookday2021 #worldbookday #nickelbooks
8: If you have any other questions, please do get in touch!
9: I will be posting updates and more links in the next few weeks, leading up to the day, so please do keep checking back!
email: enquiries@nickelbooks.co.uk
phone: 07731152089
facebook: @nickelbooks
instagram: @nickelbooks
twitter: @nickelbooks
Sponsored by:
The latest issue of BookTime can be found here:
(the magazine will open in a new tab)
If you wish to buy anything from the magazine, you can find them all in the BookTime Category
Remember, we can now take National Book Tokens on the website – but you can still email, telephone or post your order to us!
Back Issues (I can’t guarantee that all of these books in the back issues are on the website at the moment)
We were sent this constellations activity from Cubs, but the website no longer exists, and i can’t get hold of the owners to ask for permission to share.
It was originally posted on escapadesdirect.com
The craft is to make a viewer to look at constellations, without needing to go outside!
ConstellationViewer (click this link to download)
It’s here!
We have a digital edition of the Christmas Catalogue available below for those of you who haven’t been able to get a copy of the paper catalogue – we had a limited number of those, so they’ve gone to houses in our local area (Sittingbourne). Just click on the picture and it’ll pop up in a new window.
Details of all of the books are in this digital edition – you’re not missing out on any of the wonderful descriptions or pictures of the books!
If you wish to order any of the books in the catalogue, pop the ISBN or title into the search box at the top of the website, and it’ll take you to it.
If you have National Book Tokens to spend (or want to buy them) then please email us to process those (or telephone us on 07731152089)
We’re available by email or phone to discuss any other book or related gifts questions, so please get in touch!
