Ottoline Goes To School (Book 2)

If you know a child who worries they haven't found their "special thing" yet (honestly, who hasn't felt that), this is the book for them: Ottoline is off to the Alice B. Smith School for the Differently Gifted convinced everyone else has a hidden talent except her, while her companion Mr Munroe is far more preoccupied with the ghost rumoured to roam the corridors at night. Chris Riddell's pen and ink illustrations are so detailed you'll catch your child poring over the pictures just as long as the words, and there's a proper, satisfying mystery running underneath the gentle school story.

We love it because:

• Chris Riddell's illustrations are gorgeous and intricate, the kind that reward a second and third look, not just a quick flick through.
• It's reassuring without ever being preachy, Ottoline's worry about not having a "gift" is one most children (and quite a few grown ups) will quietly recognise.
• There's a proper ghost mystery woven through, so it's never just a school story, there's a genuine "what happens next" pulling readers on.
• It's book two in the series, so if this one lands well, there's a whole cosy world of Ottoline waiting to be discovered.

What's in the box:

• 1 paperback book, Ottoline Goes to School
• 176 pages, black and white illustrations throughout

Great for:

• Children aged 7 and up who are moving into longer chapter books but still love being swept along by pictures
• Bedtime reading or independent reading, it works happily either way
• Anyone who likes a story to wonder about, Ottoline's hidden talent and the school's resident ghost will keep curious minds busy
• Gifting to a child who's already devoured the first Ottoline book, or one who simply likes their school stories with a touch of mystery

Important to know:

• Recommended for ages 7 and up
• Paperback, 176 pages, black and white illustrations throughout
• Dimensions: approximately 19.9 x 13cm
• Written and illustrated by Chris Riddell, published by Pan Macmillan
• ISBN: 9781035067893