STEPHEN LEWIS rounds up children's books published for the New Year.

Under sevens

Cleopatra Silverwing by Adria Meserve (Red Fox paperback, £5.99) Cleopatra Silverwing is a butterfly who loves to do flying stunts.

One day a storm approaches. Her parents tell her to stay inside, but she insists on flying one more cherry dip flip. The wind sweeps her away from her forest home, across cold and snowy mountains, and drops her in a swamp. Night falls, and she is surrounded by staring eyes; but a friendly firefly lights her way home.

Entertaining fable, with beautiful illustrations, about why children shouldn't go wandering off on their own. 0-5 years.

The Sea Monster, written and illustrated by Chris Wormell (Jonathan Cape hardback, £10.99). A small boy plays with his toy boat in a rock pool by the sea, unaware he is being watched by a slimy grey sea-monster.

Then the boy's boat is washed out to sea, he dives in to fetch it, and is swept away himself. Miraculously, his life is saved by a grey rock that appears amid the swirling waters. But is it really a rock? Spooky to start with and beautifully illustrated, with swirling seas that are genuinely frightening, this is an uplifting tale about why children need not be afraid of their own shadows.

5-7 years.

The Big Ugly Monster by Chris Wormell (Red Fox paperback, £5.99). In a cave lives the ugliest monster in the world. He's so ugly his smile makes leaves fall off trees, grass wither and die, and animals flee in terror.

But inside he's not ugly, just lonely. With no animals left, he carves a rabbit out of stone to be his friend. The monster talks, sings and dances for his new friend and, though it never responds, he's happy.

Years pass, the monster grows old and grey, and then one day he doesn't come out of his cave any more. The flowers return and hide in his cave with the little stone rabbit sitting there, and the monster is forgotten.

A beautiful, intensely moving story that tells children in language they will understand why it is wrong to judge people by their appearance. Marvellous read for 5-7 years.

Seven to 12

The Time Wreccas by Val Tyler (Puffin hardback, £9.99). Brilliantly written fantasy from first time author Val Tyler. The Wreccas live in the darkness, filth and squalor of Underneath, and love mess and mischief.

The Guardians live Topside, quietly looking after the most precious thing in the world: Time. Humans can't see them, because it's not easy to see the unexpected. But when a young Wrecca called Snot comes Topside to steal the Tick, Time could stop for ever: and we'd certainly notice that...Grubby fun. 9+ years.

Girls In Tears by Jacqueline Wilson (Corgi, £4.99). Ellie, Magda and Nadine are back in a story of troubled teens and troubled friendships. No one writes about and for children on the verge of teenagerdom quite like Wilson. Unique. 9-12 years.

The Cry Of The Icemark by Stuart Hill (Chicken House hardback, £12.99). Epic fantasy in which girl warrior-queen Thirrin leads her tiny, ice-bound kingdom of The Icemark in a battle for survival against the vast, all-conquering armies of southern neighbour the Polypontus Empire and its general, Scipio Bellorum. Vivid writing, a spunky, flame-haired, green-eyed heroine and a gallery of mythical creatures - werewolves, vampires and giant snow leopards - who Thirrin enlists to her cause make this Waterstone's tip for the first big children's publishing sensation of the year. Rumour is a film deal is being discussed with New Line Cinema, Oscar-winning makers of the Lord Of The Rings. 11+ years

Updated: 09:20 Wednesday, January 19, 2005