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Children's books roundup: the best new picture books and novels

There’s a bumper crop of brilliant books for those aged eight and above this month, including Vi Spy, Licence to Chill (Chicken House), first in a new series by Who Let the Gods Out? author Maz Evans. Valentine “Vi” Day has an unusual family; her dad was a supervillain, her mum is an ex-spy and just about to marry Vi’s teacher. Now Vi herself is determined to win a place at spy school by carrying out a dangerous mission, with the help of her indomitable Nan, her shy almost-stepbrother, and a supporting cast of geriatric secret agents and semi-retired rogues. Wildly hilarious, full of bum jokes and acutely observed family dynamics, and with illustrations by Jez Tuya, it’s riotous escapist fun.

More complex family interactions lie at the heart of Proud of Me (Usborne) by Sarah Hagger-Holt. Josh and Becky were born to their two mums only eight days apart. As the siblings hit their teens, Becky begins to wonder whether she might be gay herself – and Josh is increasingly desperate to discover more about their donor … Warm, sweet, funny and believable, this gentle coming-of-age story is thought-provoking without ever sacrificing plot to “issues”.

Also from Usborne, Andy Prentice and Eddie Reynolds’s Climate Crisis for Beginners, illustrated by El Primo Ramon, is a clear, comprehensive guide to something that often feels too huge to be understood or coped with. Demystifying complex issues of ethics and science, its calm, straightforward tone confers a sense of much-needed agency on readers from eight to adult.

Nizrana Farook’s The Boy Who Met a Whale (Nosy Crow) is a gripping maritime adventure featuring an ancient dagger, a fisherboy who fears the sea, a loquacious castaway pursued by two villainous thieves and a quick-thinking young healer in training. Its sunswept sweetness and tempestuous pace make for a delicious “book holiday”.

For those aged six plus, Rashmi Sirdeshpande’s How to Change the World, illustrated by Annabel Tempest (Puffin), focuses on 15 moments when concerted human action made big change possible, from the beginnings of Greek democracy to the construction of the International Space Station. Colourful images and dynamic text combine to create a bright, inspiring book.

Valerie Bloom’s Stars with Flaming Tails (Otter-Barry) offers a galaxy of poetry. Illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max, it’s full of wonder, friendship, nonsense and delight; the Fun with Forms section, in particular, demonstrates riddles, limericks and rondels with inviting playfulness.

Space Detectives (Bloomsbury) by Mark Powers, with lively images from illustration superstar Dapo Adeola, features two Earth boys – geeky Connor and impetuous Ethan – who stumble into a mystery on Starville, the world’s first orbiting city. Someone has set the station on a course to collide with the moon – but who? Replete with malfunctioning smartsuits and misunderstood aliens, it’s immensely, cheerily silly.

In picture books, Laura Dockrill teams up with illustrator Maria Karipidou in The Lipstick (Walker), a hilarious naughty-and-nice adventure in which a cheeky little boy liberates his mother’s favourite lipstick and goes on a rampage, covering walls, furniture and even the cat – not to mention his own beaming smile.

Tom Percival’s The Invisible (Simon & Schuster) centres on Isabel, a child whose loving family is so poor that they eventually have to leave their home. As she becomes invisible to the affluent, Isabel discovers others like herself – and the fact that they, and she, can make a difference in the world. An understated, deeply poignant portrayal of childhood poverty, it draws on the author’s own experience to powerful effect.

Finally, I Am Every Good Thing (Egmont) by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C James is a poetic paean to the brilliance of black boys, its energetic pages filled with courage, joy and vivid, dynamic illustrations. “I am a roaring flame of creativity,” it asserts, “and without a shadow of a doubt, I am worthy to be loved.”

Teenagers roundup

I Am the Minotaur
by Anthony McGowan, Oxford, £7.99
This brief, accessible novel by a Carnegie-winning author follows “Stinky Mog” – real name Matthew – as he descends into untouchability. When his mother’s mental health breaks down and she’s unable to care for him, Matthew is ostracised by classmates. He hopes for better as he starts secondary school, but his reputation isn’t so easily left behind – and when he commits the supreme folly of falling for golden girl Ari, he incurs the scrutiny and censure he most fears. A profoundly moving book about the dull pain of outsiderdom, culminating in a joyous, unexpected flare of hope.

The Henna Wars
by Adiba Jaigirdar, Hodder, £7.99
As one of the few brown girls in her Dublin Catholic school, Nishat holds her Bengali heritage dear. Her parents, however, aren’t prepared to accept her coming out as gay – although her little sister, Priti, invariably has her back. When Nishat sets up a business at school offering henna designs, she runs into competition from Flávia – but her outrage at Flávia’s appropriation of her culture is mingled with an increasing sense of attraction. Funny and heartbreaking by turns, written with both strong conviction and lightness of touch, this is a brilliant debut; romantic, thought-provoking and entirely unique.

Lock the Doors
by Vincent Ralph, Penguin, £7.99
Tom and his mum have moved into their dream home, escaping a series of abusers, and are ready to be happy at last. But when Tom finds suspicious drill holes outside his bedroom door, he begins to wonder whether someone was kept prisoner in his room. At school, he meets a new girl, Amy, and discovers that she used to live in his house – his fascination with her wars with his need for answers. The more he learns, the more convinced he becomes that Amy’s perfect, wealthy family is not all that it seems. A twisty, assured, claustrophobic thriller.