We Found a Hat by Jon Klassen (Walker, £12.99)
The award-winning author of I Want My Hat Back tells big stories simply. He is at his glorious best in We Found a Hat, which, with a minimum of words and the sparest of pictures, wittily captures the intense difficulty of sharing. Two turtles find a hat; they both want it very badly. Politely, they discuss the merits of the hat and flatter each other when they try it on. However, since there is only one hat and there are two of them, they decide they must leave it alone and settle down to sleep. Or do they? Against a stylised desert background shown in sepia tones, the two turtles consider the possible scenarios surrounding the hat – including just what lengths they might go to in order to become the sole owner. (2+)
The Journey by Francesca Sanna (Flying Eye, £12.99)
Through beautiful and powerful illustrations, The Journey vividly explores the universal story of all those who have had to leave behind the place and people they love. Drawing on contemporary stories of displacement and migration, and re-imagining them through the eyes of a child, Francesca Sanna’s simple, unsensational text tells of a coming war, a perilous journey and the possibility of security in a story that is propelled by a deep sense of hope and courage. (4+)
The Wolves of Currumpaw by William Grill (Flying Eye, £14.99)
A magnificent large-scale picture book, The Wolves of Currumpaw gives narrative non-fiction a new dimension. William Grill, the award-winning illustrator of Shackleton’s Journey, uses a range of styles to tell this true story of American naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton, a wolf-hunter whose views on protecting wildlife were changed forever by his encounter with Old Lobo, the leader of a wolf pack. In huge wordless and immersive spreads Grill evokes the world of the wolves, showing the immense territory in which they roam and the vast starlight skies under which they travel. In the same style, he brilliantly recreates late 19th-century New York City. The story is deeply moving, and Grill ends by linking Seton’s tale to the history of conservation of wildlife and its great importance today. (7+)
Coming to England by Floella Benjamin, illustrated by Michael Frith (Macmillan, £9.99)
First published 20 years ago and as resonant now as it was then, Floella Benjamin’s story of her journey from one way of life in Trinidad to another in London is a brilliant memoir that also speaks to universal experiences of children coming to the UK. Initially left behind with relatives in Trinidad, Floella and her brothers and sister then travel alone to England to be reunited with their parents. Steeped in stories about the British “Motherland”, and proud of belonging to it, they are ill equipped to deal with the reality, and with the reception they get. Benjamin’s upbeat personality infuses the story and gives hope without diminishing the challenge of assimilation. (9+)
Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary by Susan Rennie, illustrated by Quentin Blake (Oxford, £14.99)
A glorious dictionary that gleefully juxtaposes “grinksludging” with “grip” and “rumpledumpus” with “run”, as Roald Dahl’s neologisms are included alongside more familiar words. Dahl’s best loved characters, such as Matilda Wormwood and Trunky the Elephant, are here too, with explanations of their names. Quentin Blake’s illustrations from the Dahl canon are skilfully used to inject as much fun as possible. (9+)
Sweet Pizza by GR Gemin (Nosy Crow, £6.99)
Joe’s Italian family have run the cafe in Bryn Mawr for generations but now his mother, sick of the struggle to keep it going, wants to sell up. Joe loves the cafe and believes its Italian flavour has a role to play in keeping the community together. Drawing on his sick grandfather’s memories of arriving in Wales as a young man, and with some help from his Italian cousin, Mimi, who turns up just in time, Joe turns the cafe into an irresistible centre of food, family and opera. Rich in both Welsh and Italian culture, Sweet Pizza is a delightfully heartwarming and imaginative story which also reflects the true story of Welsh-Italian integration. (10+)
Beetle Boy by MG Leonard (Chicken House, £6.99)
A hugely entertaining adventure with a cast of characters worthy of Roald Dahl, Beetle Boy makes the impossible come almost frighteningly alive. Thirteen-year-old Darkus Cuttle does not believe what he is told about his father’s disappearance from inside a locked room in the Natural History Museum. Determined to find out the truth, he turns super-sleuth, helped by an unlikely sidekick, Baxter the rhinoceros beetle. With the help of two human friends and beetle power, Darkus uncovers the terrible secrets behind the work of the evil Lucretia Cutter, a wonderful villain with a dangerous taste for insect jewellery. (10+)
The Smell of Other People’s Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock (Faber, £7.95)
In a series of gutsy, realistic and moving adventures, The Smell of Other People’s Houses weaves together four different stories of family life and the complications of adolescence. The setting of Alaska in 1970 plays a powerful role; the experiences and dreams of Ruth, Dora, Alyce and Hank have been shaped by the geographical isolation of the country, the harshness of its climate and the strong sense of community, with deeply rooted traditions and expectations. Each thread of the novel, which is told in alternating narratives, is convincing and compelling. Life is tough; the choices are few and big mistakes are made but, for each of the four, there are moments of kindness that give them confidence to face the future. (13+)
Crongton Knights by Alex Wheatle (Atom, £6.99)
Winner of the 2016 Guardian children’s fiction prize, Crongton Knights, with its bleak estate setting and a background of hardship and crime, should be a gruelling story of everyday life. And so it is. But Alex Wheatle’s optimism makes it also hopeful, warm and, above all, funny, as it celebrates a group of teenagers’ good instincts, especially around friendship and family. Life on the South Crongton estate is tough. McKay and his friends are all dealing with different problems, but they are united in knowing the importance of sticking together. The boys risk all in order to save a girl’s reputation when they set off on a dangerous mission deep into the territory of another gang. Their journey is an epic one and when they finally return safely, they are wiser. Wheatle’s readers are, too, as he gently philosophises about difficult choices in life. (13+)
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Best book lists of 2016
