Jane Gardam, author of Old Filth and The Hollow Land, dies aged 96
Described by Ian McEwan as ‘a treasure of English contemporary writing’, the Yorkshire-born novelist’s career spanned 50 years
Children’s and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels
A gosling grows up; a campaign to save trees; the impact of partition; thorny dilemmas; wearing a hijab in Essex and more
‘Something playful’: celebrating the art of endpapers in children’s books
New exhibition in Amherst, Massachusetts, looks at the unsung art that exists on the pages that bookend much-loved kids books
Beegu review – Alexis Deacon’s mellow yellow alien adventure hits the stage
Rejected by adults, the far-from-home heroine is embraced by cheering children in Debbie Hannan’s comical show
Children and teens roundup – the best new chapter books
A classic Yeti romp with 28 possible endings, a Blade Runner-style thriller and more adventures on the Thames with Jessie Burton
The Cafe at the Edge of the Woods wins Waterstones children’s book prize
Mikey Please’s book inspired by game family played during lockdown, while Carlos Sánchez and Nathanael Lessore win for young readers and teens categories
Children’s and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels
Sleepy monsters; a wacky broken robot; a search for magical treasures and more
Bestselling Australian Bad Guys author Aaron Blabey signs eight-figure deal for seven new books
First title of series for tweens titled Game of Pets will be fantasy story to debut in 2026
Martha Mills young writers’ prize 2025 opens for entries
This year’s competition for 11- to 14-year-olds, in memory of the budding writer who died aged 13, is on the theme of A New World
Lauren Child in running for repeat Carnegie medal after 25 years
Former children’s laureate joins shortlists for prestigious children’s book prizes that ‘highlight the diversity and high quality’ in British work
A Squash and a Squeeze review – Donaldson and Scheffler favourite crammed with songs
Ingenious puppetry and jolly performances help animate the beloved story about an ever-expanding indoor menagerie
Picture books for children – reviews
Laughter abounds with tales of mini beasts at bedtime, a box filled with babbling babies and an odd-couple comedy from Julia Donaldson
From The Sheep-Pig to His Dark Materials: the best audiobooks for children and teens
As research reveals children want to listen to books rather than read them, here are some of the best audiobooks to enjoy
Children’s and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels
A boy with his head in the clouds; a Kurdish refugee’s tale; helicopter heists, a dancer’s dreams, a mission to save Mars and more
Meet-cute at Mansfield Park: can modern covers turn young readers on to Jane Austen?
New editions of her novels are aimed squarely at the BookTok demographic – but will this make these classics appeal to fans of ‘spicy’ romance?