Children’s and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels | Young adult
I Am Cat by Jackie Morris, Otter-Barry, £20
A ginger cat curls up “ammonite tight” and dreams of ranging the Earth as tiger, cheetah, lynx and other big cats in this huge, gorgeous edition of Morris’s 2012 classic. Condensed, poetic text, glorious watercolours and additional information about each creature make this a picture book with serious growing room.
Mr Santa by Jarvis, Walker, £12.99
This soft, light-infused rhyming picture book follows an inquisitive child on a pastel-blue sleigh ride with “Mr Santa”, asking artless questions (“Can you eat clouds?” “Is my brother naughty or nice?”) and waking with a full stocking to wonder: “Was it really real?” Sure to become a seasonal bedtime favourite.
King Winter’s Birthday by Jonathan Freedland and Emily Sutton, Pushkin, £12.99
On his birthday, King Winter wants his sibling seasons to celebrate with him – but when all four are present, harvests fail, droughts and floods ravage the Earth, and animals don’t know whether to hibernate until the siblings agree to part again, re-establishing the natural order. This intricately beautiful, elegantly written picture book is inspired by a story by Ulrich A Boschwitz, author of The Passenger.
Into the Uncut Grass by Trevor Noah, illustrated by Sabina Hahn, John Murray, £16.99
Escaping from his mother’s list of chores, a little boy strays beyond the shadow of home, accompanied by his wise teddy bear Walter. But who will they meet in the long grass – and will they ever go back? A delicately illustrated, funny, sweet and thought-provoking modern fable for 6+, from the author of Born a Crime.
I Flew Around the World by Zara Rutherford, illustrated by Jiatong Liu, DK, £12.99
This lively, engaging 7+ nonfiction book follows Rutherford, the youngest solo female pilot to circumnavigate the globe, on her record-breaking journey in her microlight plane Sharky. Featuring fascinating insights into how planes work, as well as the people and places she encounters, it’s a must-read for kids with big ambitions.
Why Did My Brain Make Me Say It? by Sarah Ziman, Troika, £8.99
For 7+, Ziman’s debut poetry collection is a joyous, zingy feast of verse that plays assuredly with form while welcoming the reader. From hilarious lists (“Reasons my little sister cried this week”) to the understatedly moving (“Tadcu’s Lemons”), it will establish Ziman as a new favourite for poetry fans.
The Week Junior Big Book of Knowledge, Bloomsbury Education, £20
This riotous compendium ranges from amazing animals (such as “Pigcasso”, whose paintings can sell for more than £20,000) to the brilliantly bizarre, via sections on art, science, Earth’s environment, people power, and some thoroughly unusual sports – the “laziest citizen” contest in Montenegro, in which competitors must lie down at all times, is a particular gem. A treasure trove for trivia-heads of 8+.
Amazing Asia by Rashmi Sirdeshpande, illustrated by Jason Lyon, Wide Eyed, £20
An ambitious, absorbing celebration of the world’s most populous continent, ranging through its five regions via brief histories of notable figures and movements, snapshots of cultural phenomena, overviews of wildlife and landscapes, and a glimpse of what the future might hold. From food to music, religion to science, this fascinating 9+ immersion in all things Asian features rich, colourful illustrations that perfectly complement the text.
Revenge of the Killer Worm by Kathryn Foxfield, illustrated by Robin Boyden, Scholastic, £7.99
Milo is determined to make his last ever Stourmouth holiday with Grace, Danny and Nora totally epic – but strange things are stirring in the seaside town, from the mayor’s thefts of raw chicken to reports of something terrifying living under the beach. Milo thinks the old arcade game Worm Attack holds the secrets to defeating Stourmouth’s monster, but can he convince his increasingly sceptical friends? This hysterical, adrenaline-fuelled adventure is layered with subtle emotional depth – a brilliant 9+ foray from a seasoned writer for teens.
The Forest of a Thousand Eyes by Frances Hardinge, illustrated by Emily Gravett, Pan Macmillan, £14.99
Feather lives on the Wall, last bastion against the murderous Forest and its poisonous plants and deadly wildlife. When her gullibility puts her community in danger, she must set out, accompanied only by her scaled ferret Sleek, and travel deep into the world’s unplotted terrors. Thrilling, sinister and poetic, this powerful 10+ tale of fear, discovery and hope is enriched by Gravett’s soft-textured illustrations.
Ditching Saskia by John Moore and Neetols, Flying Eye, £14.99
A lonely outsider who lives with his grandfather, Damian saves up for a Spirit Flower to summon his mother’s ghost, but mistakenly calls up Saskia, an irritating, nosy nine-year-old he’s now stuck with until the Spirit Flower wilts. Saskia’s antics push Damian into the spotlight at school, but there’s a mystery surrounding the secretive little ghost. Can he help her solve it, while finding his own niche? A tender, touching 12+ graphic novel about loss, identity and acceptance.
When It’s Your Turn for Midnight by Blessing Musariri, Zephyr, £8.99
Fifteen-year-old Chiante’s parents have always had a turbulent relationship, but when Mama drops a bombshell revelation, Chiante runs away from her family home in Harare to stay with her grandmother in Mutare. Here, she learns some painful truths about freedom, belonging and love, and comes to terms with the bitter secret at the heart of her family. This absorbing, layered YA novel is funny, charming and packs a hefty emotional punch.
Such Charming Liars by Karen M McManus, Penguin, £14.99
From the queen of YA thrillers comes a standalone heist story with more twists than a helter-skelter. Mother-daughter grifters Jamie and Kat set out on their last big job – a jewel theft at a billionaire’s birthday party – but things take an unexpected turn when they run into Luke Rooney, Jamie’s two-day husband (courtesy of a Vegas wedding 12 years ago) and his son Liam. Luke’s a scammer, too, but his sights are set on a different prize. When someone dies at the party, Kat and Liam realise they could be next on the killer’s list … Thornily plotted, fast-paced and fun, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read.
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