Fiction for older children – reviews

Whether all-action thrillers or tender coming-of-age stories, these novels for older children are packed with complex, chewy themes, writes Kitty Empire

Picture books for children – reviews

A heroic rabbit, a philosophical goldfish and a gastronomic mouse show how to make the most of life, writes Kate Kellaway

The People review – how the working class got screwed

Selina Todd's compelling history of the British working class is a tragedy that needed telling, says David Kynaston

Blood Count; Lives in a Landscape; The Reunion; PM – review

A mellifluous portrayal of Duke Ellington is matched by the poignant real-life story of a West Country pub singer, writes Andrew Anthony

The Worlds of Sholem Aleichem: The Remarkable Life and Afterlife of the Man Who Created Tevye – review

J Hoberman: Jeremy Dauber's biography of Sholem Aleichem looks at how Fiddler on the Roof came to represent the ultimate Americanisation of Jewish culture

Vincent by Barbara Stok – review

Stok's graphic novel is a vibrant, sad account of Van Gogh's move to Arles and his struggle with mental illness, writes James Smart

Visions of Science: Books and Readers at the Dawn of the Victorian Age – review

James Secord wades into a wonderfully complex period of intellectual fervour. By Rosemary Hill

Half of a Yellow Sun review – ‘Well-intentioned and heartfelt’

This adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel, though often sluggish, is a valuable reminder of Britain's toxic post-imperial legacy, writes Peter Bradshaw

Wisden 2014 review: Stunningly inclusive with a strong line on politics

There is much to admire in this year's Wisden, including excellent contributions on women's cricket and a focus on India

Top 10 science and tech books for April: how to cook insects and can humans save the Earth?

From bug recipes to surviving the planet's predicament

Charlie Chaplin review – a man condemned to journey alone

Peter Ackroyd's Chaplin belongs to London, but this damaged man had no real home, writes Peter Conrad

Flashboys: Cracking the Money Code review – Michael Lewis exposes the international money markets

A new breed of parasitic financial players has discovered a novel way of fleecing the global public many times over in the blink of an eye, writes Tim Adams

Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls review – recollections of a resolute outsider

A secretly gay child's memories are captured with exacting candour, writes Helen Zaltzman

Everland review – a compelling tale of lives stripped bare in Antarctica

The Antarctic gives up its secrets at a price in Rebecca Hunt's compelling tale of extreme endurance, writes Helen Dunmore

Trials of Passion: Crimes in the Name of Love and Madness review – convincing, enlightening

Lisa Appignanesi's study of crimes of passion blends scholarship with a seductive interest in what makes us human, writes Kate Colquhoun