D Is for Dog by Em Lynas, illustrated by Sara Ogilvie, Nosy Crow, £9.99
A lovely, lollopy picture-book alphabet of dog preoccupations (Bark, Itch, Napping etc), which bounces from A to Z in gleeful rhyme, with a bonus alphabet of breeds at the back. Ogilvie’s round-eyed, boisterous pups are inimitably charming.
Vlad the Fabulous Vampire by Flavia Z Drago, Walker, £12.99
Like any good vampire, Vlad loves to be elegant in black – but his rosy cheeks make him look so horribly alive! This sweet, unspooky picture book about revealing your true self is elevated by Drago’s enticingly detailed illustrations, enlivened by riotous flashes of pink.
Salat in Secret by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, illustrated by Hatem Aly, Andersen, £12.99
On his seventh birthday, Muhammad’s joyful daddy gives him a prayer rug. But Muhammad feels too shy to pray at school, especially when he sees people judge Daddy for praying in public. Can he find the courage to ask his teacher for help? This beautiful, understated picture book perfectly conveys how it feels to be afraid of outside censure.
The Dress in the Window by Robert Tregoning, illustrated by Pippa Curnick, OUP, £7.99
A little boy falls in love with a red dress in a shop window. He diligently runs errands and saves up, but disaster strikes – it’s already been sold. Mum has a birthday trick up her sleeve in this warm, loving picture book, filled with sparkle, dash and unconditional acceptance.
My Family, Your Family by Laura Henry-Allain, illustrated by Giovana Medeiros, Ladybird, £12.99
For readers of 5+, this colourful, inclusive nonfiction guide celebrates many different kinds of family, sensitively exploring how families may change over time or why children may live in adoptive or foster families. Offering questions to prompt discussion (“What does ‘family’ mean to you?”) and a helpful glossary at the back, it’s ideal for classroom libraries.
Godfather Death by Sally Nicholls, illustrated by Júlia Sardà, Andersen, £12.99
A poor fisherman seeks an honest man to be godfather to his infant son – but the only honest man he can find is Death … This gloriously gothic Grimm retelling is illustrated by Sardà in shades of forest green, pumpkin orange and black, with unsettling motifs and sharp-featured characters. It’s best suited for 6+ readers or listeners with a taste for the morbid, who appreciate a wicked final twist.
How to Chat Chicken by Dr Nick Crumpton, illustrated by Adrienne Barman, What on Earth, £12.99
Expertly calculated to appeal to 7+ wildlife enthusiasts – especially those who fancy themselves as junior Doctor Dolittles – this informative guide to animal languages is full of sneezing monkeys, purring chickens and screaming frogs. Guaranteed to result in extraordinary noises as readers attempt to become fluent in pig, goat, fox or crow.
The Taming of the Cat by Helen Cooper, Faber, £14.99
Assured and rich, this elegantly illustrated story within a story features Brie, a mouse Scheherazade who must spin a tale compelling enough to stop Gorgonzola the cheese-shop cat devouring him. Transformations, quests, happy endings and innumerable dairy products combine in a delicious treat for 7 or 8+ readers who enjoy gentle, whimsical fantasy.
Oh Maya Gods! by Maz Evans, Chicken House, £7.99
Sports-mad Vesper and studious Aster don’t get along at all. When Vesper inadvertently frees the Maya death god Kizin from his prison beneath Stonehenge, the cousins find themselves on a quest to save their parents from his clutches – but can they possibly learn to play as a team? Consistently clever and wildly hilarious, this new iteration of the bestselling Who Let the Gods Out? series features a next generation of heroes. Ideal for mythology buffs of 8+.
Kicked Out by AM Dassu, Old Barn, £7.99
Ali’s excited about summer – his best friend Mark has a new pool, and he can’t wait to chill there with their other mate Sami. But Mark’s mum’s new boyfriend seems to have a problem – with Ali, Sami and their friend Aadam in particular. When Ali and Sami get kicked out of Mark’s house, and Aadam is threatened with deportation, surely things can’t get any worse? Boasting down-to-earth, believable characters and pacy action, Dassu’s intensely readable sequel to Boy, Everywhere, best suited for 9+, deals squarely with the racism and intimidating bureaucracy facing young refugees.
The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow, illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton, Otter-Barry, £8.99
Nate’s got a lot on his shoulders. Not only is he starting his last year of primary school, but he has to look after his brothers while his mum’s at bingo, and his best mate’s in another class, and getting friendly with someone Nate can’t stand. When his youngest brother falls seriously ill, Nate reaches the end of his endurance. A profoundly moving verse novel for 9+ about change, adaptation, the power of words and the struggle to find your people.
Alebrijes: Flight to a New Haven by Donna Barba Higuera, Piccadilly, £7.99
In the post-apocalyptic city of Pocatel, survival for Cascabel children such as Leandro and his sister Gabi depends on backbreaking labour – and occasional theft. When Leandro is sentenced to banishment beyond the city walls where predators roam free, he allows his mind to be transferred into an ancient drone, leaving his body in relative safety. But what he discovers outside challenges everything he has been taught. Inventive, evocative, thought-provoking and complex, this dystopian fantasy by a Newbery-winning author will suit 9+ readers who enjoy intricate world-building.
Girls by Annet Schaap, translated by Laura Watkinson, Pushkin, £12.99
The girls in these sharp-fanged fairytale retellings are brave, dedicated and flexible enough to free themselves without the help of princes – though they may be escaping subtler perils than witches or cages. Bold, sharp and written with deceptive simplicity, and heightened by Schaap’s ominous black-and-white illustrations, this is an absorbing, slyly sinister collection for 11+.
And Don’t Look Back by Rebecca Barrow, Hot Key, £8.99
Harlow is used to packing a single bag and leaving; she and her mom, Cora, have been on the run their whole lives. One night, though, the pattern changes – Cora is killed, and Harlow is left with the contents of a mysterious safe deposit box and the name of a town: Crescent Ridge, her mother’s birthplace. Can Harlow put down roots and stop running at last – or will the secrets of Crescent Ridge prove deadly? A zippy, accomplished YA thriller for fans of E Lockhart.
Finding Phoebe by Gavin Extence, Andersen, £8.99
Fifteen-year-old Phoebe is autistic, and prefers things planned out, without surprises – reading, dog-walking, writing, being mostly left alone. When her best friend, the vicar’s daughter, acquires a secret boyfriend and asks Phoebe to cover for her, unwelcome changes come thick and fast. But as she navigates them, Phoebe learns about her own ability to cope with even the most devastating revelations, and her capacity to adapt and grow. A uniquely funny, poignant and delightful coming-of-age story for 14+.
The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker, Hodderscape, £16.99
Trapped in her impoverished village, biracial Zilan has hoped for years to become a royal alchemist. Even using her forbidden skill of raising the dead, she can barely keep food on the table – but when she’s allowed to sit the imperial exams, her reputation as a resurrectionist follows her, embroiling her in the capital’s political games. Will she make it through the trials alive? Set in an alternate Tang dynasty China, this grim, lush, fascinating YA fantasy is the first book of a duology that will grip fans of Xiran Jay Zhao.
