As the summer holidays come to an end and we transition into a new month filled with new school years and opportunities, we thought there was no better time to delve more into our brand new, FREE gallery space with September’s #7StoriesSelects theme: ‘I Wonder‘!

The ‘I Wonder’ gallery space is a blank canvas for your imagination to run wild! This month, we will be using our choices to explore different sections of the gallery while celebrating the joy of storytelling.

Be sure to follow #7StoriesSelects on social media to stay in the know with all of our recommended reading.

Luna Loves Gardening by Joseph Coelho

Picture Book

Luna is wowed by her local community garden, there are squashes and runner beans, potatoes and tomatoes and even an apple tree. But each plant hides a story. Grandpa and Nana show her the Callaloo their family grew in Jamaica. It’s time for Luna to grab a trowel and sow seeds that will tell a new story for the whole community as they all discover their connection to the entire world.

Our Story Garden is the perfect place to sit and relax! Take a trip to our Library and discover your next favourite book.

Jackson Pollock Splashed Paint and Wasn’t Sorry by Fausto Gilberti

Five & Over

Jackson Pollock is one of the most world-renowned contemporary artists and this picture-book brings his art and his story to life. Where some may simple see a splatter of paint, he sees vibrancy and movement, bringing that colour and energy to the reader in abundance. Fausto Gilberti brings movement, life, and whimsy to the true life story of one of the most important contemporary artists of our time in this the first in a series of picture-book biographies of contemporary artists!

There are plenty of spaces in the ‘I Wonder’ gallery to release your inner artist, from our graffiti wall to our drawing station! 🎨

The Marvellous Land of Snergs by Veronica Cossanteli

Middle Grade

Pip and Flora are running away when they stumble upon a mystical and magical world that is home to equally stupendous creatures: The Snergs! The beauty and adventure of this forgotten classic certainly doesn’t end with the cover, as E. A. Wyke-Smith’s work is reimagined and brought back to life.

Just like the imagination flows through this beautiful book, our Gallery space is perfect for displaying your very own imaginative creations made in the ‘I Wonder’ exhibit.

Wonder: The Natural History Museum Poetry Book by Ana Sampson

YA Fave

Covering everything from the depths of space to the centre of the earth, this beautiful collection includes poems about the solar system, planet earth, oceans and rivers, birds, dinosaurs, fossils, wildlife, flowers, fungi, insects, explorers and palaeontologists. Each section includes an introduction to the topic with insights into particularly interesting species.

This collection is made up of brand new and classic poems, illustrated with botanical drawings and engravings from the museum’s collections. This fantastic collection speaks of the wonder of nature and shows us why we need to look after our incredible planet.

Our beautiful Poetry Corner is the perfect place to relax and think! Here you can pick up a clipboard and create your own cloud of poetic possibilities.

Roots of Happiness by Susie Dent

All The Family

Susie Dent, bestselling author, broadcaster and word expert, is on a mission to find light in the deepest, darkest corners of our language.

It takes just a short browse through the dictionary to spot how it is filled with negative words. But Susie has searched far and wide to unearth happy and uplifting words and phrases that, in some cases, are long forgotten, while others have only just been discovered.

Paired with beautiful illustrations, this is the perfect book to lift you out of your mubble fubbles (a slightly sad mood), make you grin like a gigglemug (someone who never stops smiling), and have you feeling forblissed (extremely happy) in no time.

This joyous collection of 100 positive words and their origins will show readers young and old just how wonderful language can be – and how you can use your words to make the world a happier place.

Our typewriter may be dated but it can still make magic! Tap it’s keys and step inside your story. .

The Dictionary Story by Sam Winston and Oliver Jeffers

Story Seller Recommendation

The much-anticipated new picture book from the bestselling and award-winning creators of A Child of Books.

Dictionary wishes she could tell a story just like the other books. So one day she decides to bring her words to life. How exciting it is, she thinks, that an adventure is finally happening on her very own pages! But what will she do when everything gets out of control, all in a jumble, and her characters collide causing the most enormous tantrum to explode. This isn’t what she wanted at all! How on earth will she find sense in all this chaos? Her friend Alphabet knows exactly what to do and sings a song that brings calm and order to Dictionary’s pages once again.

A wordsmith is a ‘skilled user of words’. At our Wordsmith Wall you can become your own wordsmith and discover how words can open up a world of wonder!

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

Classic

Amongst the destruction of the First World War, one incredibly brave and loyal horse finds himself in the middle of chaos. Adapted into film and stage productions, this story is one that transcends age boundaries and captures the hearts of readers young and old. This provocative and thought-provoking read remains a classic for a reason.

Did you know you can find Nick Stafford’s original draft script from the 2008 National Theatre’s production of War Horse in our ‘I Wonder’ Gallery? Explore our dressing room and create your own magical scenes on our very own stage!