Novel recipes: pretzels from EL Konigsburg’s Mixed-Up Files
Discovering the children’s book From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler awakens not only a latent desire to run away from home, but an appetite for New York snacks...
Topsy-turvy: how Mr Men got mashed up with Doctor Who
Adam Hargreaves, son of Mr Men creator Roger, discusses the latest expansion of the cartoon universe – into the realm of the Timelord
Hot guys wanted: Chris Evans, Tom Hardy … who’s next for CBeebies Bedtime Stories?
As the BBC’s parental-respite service continues its fine tradition of giving mums something pretty to look at, we ask who can follow Captain America
Novel recipes: Potted beef from The Wind in the Willows
Warm weather means picnics, so Kate Young recreates a recipe enjoyed by Ratty and Mole in Kenneth Grahame’s classic children’s tale
Jane Eccles obituary
Other lives: Artist who wrote and illustrated Maxwell Monster and illustrated many other children’s books
Jackie French: ‘To be a woman in power now, you need to be better than men’
The prolific Australian author talks about her new novel, Miss Lily’s Lovely Ladies, and writing women into history
Teenage fiction reviews – the rocky road to self-knowledge
Racism and homophobia, death and dementia, amnesia and ancient history – all dilemmas for young heroes
Fiction for 8- to 12-year-olds reviews – cyborgs, sisters and a girl called Owl
Film directors Sylvain Chomet and Bobbie Peers give a fantastic spin to the challenges of the tweenage years
Picture books for children reviews – penguins, pythons and presidents
This year’s Easter treats swap chocolate eggs for philosophy, and fluffy chicks for JFK, but are no less touching or hilarious for it
I Capture the Castle review – musical labour of love oozes romance
Everyone is in love with the wrong person in this affectionate adaptation of Dodie Smith’s novel about a bohemian family living in a crumbling castle
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls review – a real inspiration
Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo present young readers with a lifetime’s supply of brilliant female role models
The literary tomboy is dead – or is she?
From Shakespeare to Enid Blyton, fiction about girls who defy ‘feminine’ stereotypes has itself been pretty stereotypical. But that may be changing
Ten empowering female characters in children’s books
We asked Guardian readers to share their favourite empowering female characters from children’s books. Here’s 10 of the best
Why I decided to write a novel for teenagers about catastrophic climate change
The Silent Invasion is set in the age of environmental apocalypse, where even the landscape is frightening. But writing about climate change matters – most of all for those who will inherit the world
How celebrity deals are shutting children’s authors out of their own trade
As Frank Lampard, George Galloway and Cara Delevingne land big-money book deals, established writers look on from the fringes – or turn away altogether