Bear’s Nap by Emily Gravett, Two Hoots, £12.99
Someone is cheeping and keeping Bear from sleeping in this increasingly uproarious picture book filled with forest-dwelling creatures and their noises. A joy to read aloud.
This Is Who I Am by Rashmi Sirdeshpande, illustrated by Ruchi Mhasane, Andersen, £12.99
A moving celebration of heritage and identity, this softly coloured picture book follows a little girl with “a foot in two worlds”, who is both “the richness of all the worlds she belongs to” and uniquely, proudly herself.
The Mushroom of Doom! by Becky Davies, illustrated by Thomas Elliott, Little Tiger, £7.99
Mwhahaha! A discarded mushroom metamorphoses from fun guy to maniacal super-villain in this hilariously melodramatic picture book.
Wands Away! Learning to Fly by Emma Farrarons, Simon and Schuster, £7.99
Trainee witch Ramona Spellstar is about to join Wands Away School – but what if she finds she can’t do magic? A gentle, engaging 5+ story of forming new friendships and spreading your wings.
Good Bits by Kes Gray, illustrated by Ruby Wright, DK, £8.99
Whether it’s omniscient pens, infallible goalies, zombie beavers or exploding picnics, the 10 tightly focused stories in this brightly illustrated 7+ collection consist of just “the best bits” – action-packed, fast-paced, inventive and hilarious.
Start With a Teapot by Enric Lax, Gecko, £14.99
This eccentric, tongue-in-cheek drawing guide (to draw a hand, start with a lightbulb; then surround it with sausages) also touches humorously on the frustrations of getting images on to paper. A gloriously surreal 7+ paean to the weird logic of shape and form.
Cosmic Cadets and the Universal Uni-Korn by Ryan Crawford, illustrated by Rochelle Falconer, Oxford, £7.99
As the only human at the Cosmic Cadet Academy, thrill-seeking Gloria is determined to prove herself – but after stepping on the headteacher and being paired up with scary, cat-like Razz, she’s off to a bad start. Can she make it through her first mission without accidentally destroying the universe? This highly illustrated cosmic caper is an imaginative riot for 7+.
The Strange Disappearance of Imogen Good by Kirsty Applebaum, Nosy Crow, £7.99
Fran doesn’t want to spend a week with Uncle Pete and Aunt Liz – not to mention Imogen, her awful cousin. But when she finds that Imogen is missing, and no one seems to remember her existence, Fran is drawn to investigate the mysterious Stillness Hall, and its dangerous hidden garden. Spooky, meditative and highly original, this twining, multilayered 9+ story grips the reader and doesn’t let go.
Fear Files: Hide and Seek by Christopher Edge, Walker, £7.99
Dive into the Darkive, a database filled with the unsolved, inexplicable and creepy, and discover the case of Adam, whose camping trip takes a terrifying turn when he and his friend find a ghost town and are drawn into a sinister game of hide and seek. But who – or what – is the Seeker? A deliciously scary and suspense-filled treat for 9+ horror fans.
Dance of Resistance by Catherine Johnson, Barrington Stoke, £7.99
In instantly involving first-person prose, Johnson tells the true story of Josephine Baker, from her poor childhood in segregated Missouri to her work for the French resistance, her civil rights activism and her rise to iconic status as a performer. This superb 9+ “autobiography”, from dyslexia-friendly publishers Barrington Stoke, is super-readable in every sense.
Role Model by Elle McNicoll, Knights of, £7.99
Autistic 13-year-old Aeriel Sharpe hates the spotlight, but when her mum becomes prime minister, she finds herself forced to perform for the cameras while trying to navigate treacherous friendships and fitting in at school. Can everyone’s favourite new role model find her own voice? A passionate, powerful 10+ novel from the author of A Kind of Spark.
Empty Heaven by Freddie Kölsch, Electric Monkey, £9.99
In October 2000, 17-year-old Darian returns unexpectedly to Kesuquosh, the quaintly superstitious Massachusetts village where her best friends still live. When her crush, KJ, is chosen for sacrifice in the Great Harvest Hallow festival, however, Darian and her friends must take on an ancient, angry force with no intention of relinquishing its prize. Lush and atmospheric, this grungy YA folk horror is layered with themes of queer found family, fierce friendship and recovery from trauma.
Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley, Rock the Boat, £8.99
After years in foster care, Lucy Smith is on the run from her disastrous last placement. She’s learned to be savvy, never to trust anyone – but when lawyer Jamie Jameson tracks her down, expressing interest in her case, she’s tempted to break her own rule. As she opens up, Lucy learns the hidden truth about her family, but other, dangerous past truths are at her heels in this compelling mystery thriller from the author of Firekeeper’s Daughter.
Keep Your Friends Close by Cynthia Murphy, Penguin, £9.99
At Morton Academy, Chloe Roberts is tipped to be head girl, and rule the school’s influential secret society, until her best friend Nikhita steals her place. Things only get worse when Chloe finds the Book of Crime and Punishment, filled with students’ transgressions and their suggested penalties – a record that seems harmless, until the bodies start to appear … An intensely readable dark academia thriller, ideal for fans of Holly Jackson.
My Name Is Jodie Jones by Emma Shevah, David Fickling, £8.99
Jodie Jones is obsessed with words and how they fit together, but she can’t communicate how her mother belittles and controls her, or how badly she let her down one terrible day on London Bridge. Though school is a struggle and home is hell, Jodie consoles herself by collecting favourite sentences, biding her time until she can bring her darkest secrets into the light. A profoundly poignant, beautifully written YA contemporary novel, with a brave, brilliant heroine.
