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
Quidditch has now become a real life sport – have children’s books inspired any other games?
JK Rowling's Harry Potter books have prompted people to bring their broomsticks out to the park – now the Book Doctor investigates other books that have inspired sporting activity after reading the book
Top 10 books for children in translation
Anthea Bell, the award winning translator of Asterix, shares 10 of the best translated books for children
Winner of the Astrid Lindgren prize announced
Th winner of the world's biggest international children's book award, the Astrid Lindgren Prize, is announced
David Mackintosh’s top 10 illustration and design tips
The illustrator and author of children's books including Marshall Armstrong is New to Our School shares his tips on how you can improve your own illustrations and designs
Again, again! Which kids’ bedtime books are you happy to reread?
Imogen Russell Williams: The Dora books stretch my accent skills to breaking point, while Thomas the Tank Engine is full of stifling moralism. But not all favourites are destined to be 'lost' down the back of the shelf
How to Train Your Dragon: How to Speak Dragonese by Cressida Cowell – review
Rider: 'Don't watch the film before reading the books. They are immensely better'
How to Train Your Dragon: How to Betray a Dragon’s Hero by Cressida Cowell – review
Mimi123: 'The way the author describes what's happening all the way through the book is amazing!'
Your books of the year 2013 – children’s and teens
Guardian children's books site young members pick their favourite children's and teen novels of 2013
How Beatrix Potter self-published Peter Rabbit
The aspiring children's writer was fed up of receiving rejection letters - so on this day in 1901 she self-published a certain book about a naughty rabbit
Poem: Decorating the Tree, written for London’s Trafalgar Square Christmas tree
Read Decorating the Tree, a poem writtne by children, poets and Kevin Crossley-Holland to celebrate the lighting of the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree in London
Meet the new Harry Potter artist, Jim Kay
Jim Kay, the Carnegie medal-winning illustrator of Patrick Ness's A Monster Calls, has been chosen to illustrate all seven Harry Potter books in full colour and design the new book jacket image. He explains how he'll tackle the commission and why it was accompanied by 'an implosion of brain-freezing terror'
Bear Grylls’s top 10 adventure stories
Adventurer and chief scout Bear Grylls chooses his favourite tales of survival and bravery, from Daniel Defoe to Michael Morpurgo
Reader reviews roundup
YOUR REVIEWS: More top secret diaries this week, as we peer into the worlds of dorks, undead detectives, and one dollar horses