Home Is Where My Heart Is by Smriti Halls and Alice Courtley, Andersen, £12.99
This warm, colourful picture book explores the idea of home: a refuge not fixed in a single place, but in the people we love and our shared sense of belonging.
Is That Your Mama? by Patrice Lawrence and Diane Ewen, Scholastic, £7.99
Tired of intrusive questions, Josie starts to wonder whether her family should look more like each other – but then her parents give her a special present: a globe to mark where all her relatives were born. A lively, heartfelt picture book celebrating mixed heritage.
A Boy, His Dog and the Sea by Anthony Browne, Walker, £12.99
Danny is bored and his big brother Mick is out – but a walk on the beach with Scruff the dog soon turns to unexpected drama. Browne’s iron-grey, layered skies and intricately coloured pebbles invite the reader to linger in his extraordinary landscapes.
The Starling’s Song by Octavie Wolters, translated by Michele Hutchison, Pushkin, £12.99
As a starling sings of the world’s beauty, other birds intertwine their songs with his in this enchanting, award-winning Dutch picture book for 4 or 5+, illustrated in bold black-and-white linocut with flashes of yellow beak and claw.
Tiny, the Secret Adventurer by Aisha Bushby, illustrated by Kübra Teber, Usborne, £5.99
This highly illustrated new series for 6+ features an adorable tiny person living among the sunflowers in a school garden. At first the creatures mistrust her – until Frog is in danger and it’s up to Tiny to save the day. Ideal for young readers looking for adventure closer to home.
Flight by Mya-Rose Craig, illustrated by Lynn Scurfield, Puffin, £14.99
A soaring, swooping bird’s-eye guide to the world for 6+, as seen through the eyes of migratory species such as the Arctic tern, the hummingbird and the swallow.
Agent 9 – Flood-a-geddon! by James Burks, Piccadilly, £8.99
Impulsive feline hero Agent 9 is on probation for causing too much damage – but only he and his robot fish-partner FiN can stop King Crab’s plan to melt the ice caps and build a worldwide water park. Chaos, daft puns and wild hilarity abound in this superbly silly graphic novel for 7+.
Roar by Beth Mead, illustrated by Mark Long, Wren & Rook, £9.99
Football fanatics aged 7+ should dive into this guide to finding their sporting passion. Written with the veteran children’s author Matt Oldfield, it’s full of tips, inspirations and personal reminiscences about Mead’s journey from a North Yorkshire childhood to playing for Arsenal and England.
The Horse Who Came Home by Olivia Tuffin, Nosy Crow, £7.99
Hannah’s dad, a former Olympic showjumper, runs a stable, and Hannah loves the horses she looks after. When she rescues a pony called Bella, however, something seems familiar – and soon Bella’s history leads Hannah into a terrible dilemma about the family business. A gripping pony story with a dash of tough realism, perfect for horse-mad readers of 9+.
The Destiny of Minou Moonshine by Gita Ralleigh, Zephyr, £14.99
In the queendom of Moonlally, now governed by the oppressive General, orphaned Minou lives in a riverboat shack with her grandmother Dima. She admires the Green Orchids who rebel against the regime – but when Dima is murdered, Minou is kidnapped by the General’s household. In alliance with the rebels, can she fulfil her mysterious destiny? Set in an alternative India, this steampunk-laced story is a remarkable debut for 9+, poetic, imaginative and gripping.
Safiyyah’s War by Hiba Noor Khan, Andersen, £7.99
Safiyyah has always helped her Baba in the office of the Grand Mosque. When the Nazis draw close to Paris, she’s indignant to find Baba’s door locked against her – but she’s drawn into his life-saving secret work, distributing false documents and helping Jews escape through the catacombs. This story of heroism, shared humanity and hope cherished against long odds is so beautifully written it will be hard for any reader of 9+ to forget.
Quiet Storm by Kimberly Whittam, Usborne, £7.99
Storm is the quiet one in her high-spirited family, especially since the transition to secondary school. When she breaks a sprinting record and is suddenly thrust into the limelight, it’s harder than ever for her to speak up. But as friendships and family life become increasingly fraught, can Storm finally find her voice? A thoughtful, tender 10+ novel about the challenges of shyness in the loud, bold world of school.
Sing Me to Sleep by Gabi Burton, Hachette, £16.99
Elite soldier-in-training Saoirse has a deadly secret – she is a siren, a magical assassin whose existence is illegal and who can kill with her song. When someone finds out the truth and threatens her sister’s life, Saoirse must accept a role she never wanted: bodyguard to the prince whose parents would slaughter her on sight. A lush, compelling YA magical fantasy, full of murder, seduction, conspiracy and slow-burning romance.
How to Die Famous by Benjamin Dean, Simon & Schuster, £8.99
The blockbuster teen TV show Sunset High is dogged by a curse that has brought down lead actors and even killed a crew member. Now Abel, the newest cast member and brother of the boy who died, is determined to expose the rot at the heart of the glamour. Narrated by four of Sunset High’s tormented stars, this is a tense, page-turning YA showbiz thriller from the author of The King Is Dead.
Black Heat by Bex Hogan, Orion, £8.99
Three undervalued women – an exiled princess, a rebel blacksmith and a midwife with a secret – are the narrators of this dark, enthralling feminist fantasy for 14+. Each seeks peace for their war-torn country, oppressed by the machinations of a corrupt emperor. Deft characterisation, intricate world-building and serpentine twists will appeal to fans of Leigh Bardugo and Sarah J Maas.
