The best children’s books of 2021
Fiona Noble looks back on the year and, below, our critics pick their favourites in each age group
The best children’s and YA books of 2021
From magical picture books and rollicking adventures to the conclusion of Malorie Blackman’s Noughts and Crosses series, standout reads for all ages
Julia and the Shark’s writers on their pandemic-driven book lauded by Waterstones
The novel written and illustrated by husband-and-wife duo, Kiran Millwood Hargrave and Tom de Freston, has been named children’s gift of the year by Waterstones, while Paul McCartney’s The Lyrics wins book of 2021
Marcus Rashford to publish children’s novel The Breakfast Club Adventures
The footballer and campaigner is writing story with Alex Falase-Koya, drawing on his own memories of friendships made before starting the school day
Mark Gatiss TV version brings The Amazing Mr Blunden back into print
Classic children’s ghost story, long in demand as a secondhand book, will receive its first reprint for more than 30 years thanks to the star actor – and a dogged book editor
Fiction for older children reviews – forces of nature and gorilla warfare
Two outsiders unite to tackle second world war wrongs, and can Ben Okri’s young heroine save her mother?
John Agard becomes first poet to win BookTrust lifetime achievement award
Reading charity pays tribute to ‘incredible words’ of Afro-Guyanese author, who came to Britain in 1977 where he has become a staple of English lessons
Jerry Pinkney obituary
Award-winning US illustrator whose prolific output of contemporary and traditional tales charmed readers of all ages
Report shows fourfold rise in minority ethnic characters in UK children’s books
The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education welcomes steep increase in representation, but warns there are ‘no quick fixes’
Alex Gino’s children’s novel George retitled Melissa ‘to respect trans heroine’
Writer says they had not realised they should speak up about the title when the book was first published, but it will henceforth take the heroine’s female name
Treacle Walker by Alan Garner review – a phenomenal late fable
A convalescent young boy is visited by a mythical wanderer in a deeply evocative exploration of storytelling and time
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone review – 20 years on, it’s a nostalgic spectacular
The first film in the franchise is re-released into a very different world – but it’s as entertaining and exhilarating as ever
A-level textbook withdrawn over ‘inappropriate’ Native American question
USA 1865-1975: the Making of a Superpower asked whether treatment of Native Americans had been exaggerated
Why shouldn’t children’s writers talk of refugees, persecution and genocide?
The We’re Going on a Bear Hunt author on how researching his family’s fractured history resulted in his latest poetry collection
Liz Pichon: ‘I always thought the Tom Gates series would come to an end really quickly’
The author and illustrator on dyslexia, doodling and finding new things to write about