Itch: The Explosive Adventures of an Element Hunter by Simon Mayo – review

A mad scientist, a radioactive element … Simon Mayo's romp includes scientific knowhow and an amiable hero. By Tim Radford

Top flash fiction writing tips: David Gaffney

16 May is the first ever day celebrating the art of micro-fiction. But what's the secret of writing ultra short stories? Follow David Gaffney's tips and email in your own flash fiction masterpieces - we'll publish our favourites in the Your Stories section on the site

Can you provide a definitive reading list for the first 10 years of life?

Book doctor: 'Though enjoyable and useful, lists are very subjective, so it pays to look around for different types'

Goblins by Philip Reeve – review

Simon Mason enjoys a witty send-up of the magical world

Josh Lacey’s top 10 pseudonymous books

A surprising number of authors choose not to use their real name when they publish their books. Josh Lacey, who has written a series of books under the name Josh Doder, picks his favourite writers with pen names

Where are all the car-free books?

Picture books could show that travelling by bike, train, bus or coach can be fun but car journeys seem to get all the attention

Hero on a Bicycle by Shirley Hughes – review

Mary Hoffman on a wartime adventure wartime adventure by someone with a feeling for the time

James Dawson shortlisted for Queen of Teen crown

Hollow Pike author is first man shortlisted for a prize which celebrates the 'feistiest, frothiest and most fantastic' writers in teen fiction

To Be a Cat by Matt Haig – review

Philip Ardagh on a clawed masterpiece

Why are children’s books so down on maths?

'Being good at maths is cool not nerdy, but few stories or picture books have caught up with this new reality'

The next big thing … geeks

Julia Eccleshare: Clumsy, badly-dressed nerds with a penchant for the passe are joining vampires and werewolves on preteen bookshelves

Fiction for older children – reviews

The range and tone – magical to lavatorial – of titles for 10-year-olds is extraordinary, writes Kitty Empire

Pirate tale from Aardman artist wins Waterstones children’s prize

The Pirates Next Door has become the first picture book to win the prize voted for by booksellers

A Midsummer Tights Dream by Louise Rennison – review

Kate Saunders on schoolgirl slapstick

Wimpy Kid finds ‘love is in the air’ in book seven

Jeff Kinney announces that the next instalment of his bestselling Wimpy Kid series will feature a love interest

Pottermore finally vanquishes technical obstacles to open access

JK Rowling's internet version of the Harry Potter universe becomes available to everybody in early April

Wimpy Kid beats Harry Potter in children’s vote for book of the decade

Jeff Kinney's unlikely hero sees off the boy wizard in Blue Peter's poll of 15,000 young readers

World Book Day set to give away 14m book tokens

Authors including Neil Gaiman and Anthony Horowitz will also be taking part in The Biggest Book Show on Earth

Tomi Ungerer, rennaisance man of children’s book illustration

The prolific author and illustrator is a goodwill ambassador for the Council of Europe and there's a museum in Strasbourg dedicated to his work. His 'fables' deserve greater recognition, writes Joanna Carey

Scottish children vote for vampires, dreams and chance

Record number of children vote in the Scottish children's book awards for their favourite reads

Lemony Snicket to publish a series of autobiographical accounts

A Series of Unfortunate Events author to launch autobiographical All the Wrong Questions sequence this autumn

10 books to help boost young boys’ reading

Young boys are often 'reluctant readers', so to help meet the government's aim to get more children reading, here is a Top 10 of books for boys, as chosen by expert Ellen Ainsworth