Children’s and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels
My Mother’s Tongues by Uma Menon, illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell, Walker, £12.99
Written by a 16-year-old author, this richly textured picture book is a moving celebration of immigrant multilingualism: languages “woven together like fine cloth” until “the seams are invisible”.
We Are the Wibbly! A Tadpole’s Tail by Sarah Tagholm, illustrated by Jane McGuinness, Bloomsbury, £7.99
A hilarious, original picture-book account of one bemused (and ungrammatical) egg’s journey from frogspawn to frog.
Clever Crow by Chris Butterworth, illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill, Walker, £12.99
A gorgeously designed nonfiction picture book with fascinating text and dynamic illustrations, effortlessly conveying corvid charisma.
The Magic Callaloo by Trish Cooke, illustrated by Sophie Bass, Walker, £12.99
This colourful, fabulous Rapunzel retelling features a magic wishing callaloo plant, a selfish thief and a dauntless girl with huge beautiful curls, inspired by stories of enslaved Africans who wove patterns and escape maps into their cornrowed hair. A wonderful text-rich picture book for readers of 5+.
Betty Steady and the Toad Witch by Nicky Smith-Dale, illustrated by Sarah Horne, Farshore, £6.99
Stronger than an ogre in yoga pants, Betty Steady is the hero of Wobbly Rock – but when Betty’s hubris lets the terrible Toad Witch shrink her to the height of two Jammie Dodgers, she’ll need the help of a nerdy imp and a trumpeting mouse to save the day. An irrepressible catchphrase-riddled 7+ debut, full of surreal, riotous fun.
The Life-Changing Magic of Skateboarding by Sky Brown, illustrated by Shaw Davidson, Magic Cat, £12.99
This welcoming, joyous 7+ handbook by a young Olympian breaks down the mysteries of stance, stopping and gnarly tricks via bright accessible panels.
Ballet Besties – Yara’s Chance to Dance by Yasmine Naghdi with Chitra Soundar, illustrated by Paula Franco, Piccadilly, £7.99
Yara’s excited to join a new ballet school – but the cantankerous landlady is threatening to close the studio. Can Yara and her besties pull off a day-saving performance? Written by a Principal of the Royal Ballet, this bubbly, inclusive story, filled with meticulous detail, will be a winner for 7+ dance fanatics.
We Need to Talk About Death: An Important Book About Grief, Celebrations, and Love by Sarah Chavez, illustrated by Annika Le Large, Neon Squid, £9.99
This little book’s chatty warmth and calm, demystifying approach belies its intimidating title; written by one of the founders of the Death Positive movement, it covers what death is, what happens to dead bodies, the different ways in which people process grief, and global rituals of remembrance. A 7+ school-library essential.
Keedie by Elle McNicoll, Knights Of, £7.99
As their 14th birthday approaches, autistic Keedie and her neurotypical twin, Nina, are drawing steadily apart – fierce, forthright Keedie can’t tolerate injustice, while Nina’s trying to fit in with a bullying crowd at school. Meanwhile Keedie is more and more protective of Addie, her quiet little sister … This powerful coming-of-age story for 9+, set five years before the award-winning A Kind of Spark, is a clarion call for better treatment of neurodiverse kids.
Spin! 10 Exciting New Voices in Poetry edited by Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Ruthine Burton, Otter-Barry, £8.99
This anthology of work from 10 debut poets, intended to be shared aloud, touches on everything from names to nerves to nonsense, with ice-rink visits and multi-family summer picnics “on a patch of grass, / Between the M32 and an ochre-coloured river”. A lovely collection for 9+, showcasing a formidable breadth of new talent.
Me and Aaron Ramsey by Manon Stefan Ros, Firefly, £7.99
Sam and his dad share a deep love of football – but when an accident curtails his dad’s soccer career, sadness, worry and silence invade their lives. Sam focuses on the Welsh star Aaron Ramsey to cope with his anxiety, but will his relationship with Dad ever be repaired? A tender, pared-back, touching contemporary story for 9+, from a Carnegie-winning author.
The Island at the Edge of Night by Lucy Strange, Chicken House, £7.99
When Faye is packed off to school on a remote Scottish island, she discovers every student is there because they’ve done wicked things. But Faye can’t remember what happened on the night that led to her banishment. As she searches the island for its secrets, and discovers a curious affinity, can she bring herself to probe the depths of her own memory? A stunning 9+ gothic mystery, filled with bleakness and unexpected magic.
Homebody: Discovering What It Means to Be Me by Theo Parish, Macmillan, £14.99
This gentle, meandering 14+ graphic novel takes the reader on a journey without a destination – following the protagonist’s search for self-acceptance, so that the house of their body can feel like a true home. Investigating the subtleties of trans and non-binary identities, its soft greys and pinks and joyful emphasis on self-discovery will appeal to Heartstopper fans.
The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson, Electric Monkey, £14.99
Bel Price’s mother Rachel disappeared when Bel was 2. Now Bel is 18, and her mother presumed long dead. With care bills pressing, the family agree to a true crime documentary – only to be staggered by Rachel’s shocking reappearance. But does her story make sense? An instantly gripping, corkscrew-twisty 14+ thriller from the author of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.
King of Nothing by Nathanael Lessore, Hot Key, £7.99
Anton relishes his status as Year 9 playground king – but when he winds up in serious trouble at school, his mum takes drastic action. To earn Wifi back, Anton must join the Happy Campers activity group, alongside ultimate loser Matthew. After a dramatic trip, Anton and Matthew form an unlikely bond – but can Anton bear to acknowledge him at school? Rib-achingly funny, poignant, thoughtful and sly, Lessore’s second YA novel confirms him as a uniquely talented writer.
These Stolen Lives by Sharada Keats, Scholastic, £8.99
When the Skøls invaded six years ago, they culled the Crozoni, killing nine out of every 10. Those left are now Repayers, owing the Skøls life debts they must pay off to survive. Repayer Mora has time to do almost nothing but work – until the Skøl governor threatens to execute her beloved friend, 12-year-old Zako, and her thoughts turn to rebellion. A striking, thought-provoking YA dystopia, layered with meaningful questions about worth and productivity.
