Ready, Steady Squirrel by Nicola Kinnear, Scholastic, £7.99
Small squirrel Evie is determined to gather the autumn’s hoarded nuts by herself – but it’s a lot to manage alone. Should she let her friends lend a paw? A cosy, endearing picture book about ambition, independence and the right time to ask for help.
When the Fog Rolls In by Pam Fong, Greenwillow, £12.99
When the fog is all around you, fear and uncertainty might fix you to the spot, but “the best way to go is directly through” in this heartening, atmospheric picture book, filled with cloaking wisps of grey and contrasting bright-beaked puffins.
Rainbowsaurus by Steve Antony, Hodder, £12.99
We’re off to find the Rainbowsaurus! With its many-coloured creatures and cumulative sounds (“‘Hiss,’ said the orange snake. ‘Ribbit,’ said the yellow frog”), this delightful, inclusive picture book is perfect for reading aloud, with the Rainbowsaurus’s roar as its riotous culmination. Likely to become a toddler favourite.
The Lucky Red Envelope by Vikki Zhang, Wide-Eyed, £14.99
Fabulously intricate, with dozens of flaps revealing yet more layers of detail, this gorgeous 5+ guide to the lunar new year from the perspective of one little girl’s family is an ideal gift for those who celebrate, or a wonder-filled addition to a classroom library.
A World of Dogs by Carlie Sorosiak, illustrated by Luisa Uribe, Nosy Crow, £16.99
A colourful, chunky book of canine information and real-life dog stories by the author of I, Cosmo – not least Sorosak’s realisation that her own adopted pooch was actually an American dingo. Focused closely on the canine-human bond, this is an engaging, thought-provoking nonfiction book for 6+.
Dream Weavers: Night of the Scary Fairies by Annabelle Sami, illustrated by Forrest Burdett, Little Tiger, £6.99
When new girl Neena shows up in Tito’s dreams, he realises they share a magical skill: the power of dreamweaving. At first they enjoy bringing their silliest inventions to life – but their nightly adventures take a serious turn when their schoolmates start behaving weirdly, and they realise someone else is misusing the ability. A gently peril-spiced, imaginative adventure for 7+.
Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones, illustrated by Alison Bryant, Folio Society, £44.95
Featuring nine-lifed enchanters, predatory siblings, outrageous dressing gowns and domestic magic, this much-loved fantasy for 9+ won the Guardian children’s fiction prize in 1977. Now given the full sumptuous Folio treatment, with six perfectly judged colour illustrations by Alison Bryant, an introduction by Katherine Rundell and a foreword by Neil Gaiman, this extravagant edition is the ultimate treat for Wynne Jones addicts of all ages.
Tiffany Aching’s Guide to Being a Witch by Rhianna Pratchett & Gabrielle Kent, illustrated by Paul Kidby, Penguin, £25
This handsome illustrated guide to the witchcraft of the Discworld is full of Pratchett’s characteristic wry, footnote-heavy humour, courtesy of his daughter Rhianna and her co-writer Gabrielle Kent. It features interpolations by Granny Weatherwax, Lettice Earwig (pronounced “Ah-wij”), Nanny Ogg and others, and provides invaluable advice about magical cheeses, the tending of flocks and the ever-contentious subject of working with other witches. A must for Pratchett fans of 9+.
Man-Man and the Tree of Memories by Yaba Badoe, illustrated by Joelle Avelino, Zephyr, £14.99
Man-man is getting ready for carnival and worrying about his sick mother when he’s swept away by the mysterious Queen of the Revels on a journey through time. In the past, he discovers a great tree which holds the anguished memories of the enslaved. Could it hold the key to Mum’s recovery? Set partly in contemporary Notting Hill, partly in a mythic, magical Africa, this is an inventive magical realist story for 9+, heightened by Avelino’s lush, vivid illustrations.
Storyland by Amy Jeffs, Wren & Rook, £14.99
Astutely adapted for readers of 9+, this stirring mythology of Britain is filled with Trojan heroes, wrathful giants, dragons, stags, and miraculous feats such as the young Merlin’s building of Stonehenge. Jeffs’ clarity and immediacy, striking turns of phrase and black and white linocut images make for an immersive reading experience, while historical notes provide an anchoring sense of context.
Didn’t See That Coming by Jesse Q Sutanto, Electric Monkey, £8.99
When popular, ebullient gamer-girl Kiki transfers from her liberal Jakarta school to a super-strict one with draconian rules, she doesn’t know that “Sourdawg”, her best gaming pal, is also a student there. There’s just one problem – to avoid abuse, Kiki goes by a male-sounding username, and Sourdawg thinks she’s a boy. Equal parts frothy romance and serious feminist commentary, this 12+ novel is sweet and satisfying.
The Undying of Obedience Wellrest by Nicholas Bowling, Chicken House, £8.99
Young gravedigger Ned knows no one but his grandfather Pa, and Mosca, his pet fly – until he encounters Bede (Obedience) Wellrest, the beautiful, rebellious daughter of the manor. As Pa becomes more infirm, Ned tries to ward off graverobbers, while Bede attempts to stop her father marrying her to Phineas Mordaunt, a wealthy and obnoxious man of science who is far too interested in Bede’s family history of dark research. This atmospheric gothic mystery is ideal winter fare for 12+.
When We Become Ours edited by Shannon Gibney and Nicole Chung, HarperTeen, £14.99
Written by adoptee authors, this moving collection of YA stories – supernatural, sci-fi and contemporary – foregrounds experiences seldom shown in print. From a sister haunted by lost loved ones to a teen setting aside a rare, lucrative power, the anthology deals with the challenges of navigating identity as an adoptee, finding pride in one’s roots, heritage and unique self.
Runner Hawk by Michael Egan, Everything With Words, £8.99
Things are going wrong for Leo Roslin. His body keeps freezing, his mind swoops from reality to dream and he sees impossible things: a runner immobilised mid-stride, a hawk held in midair. Leo’s time is running out. Does he have long enough left to fall in love, solve a murder and find resolution? Beautifully balanced between shadow and light, grimness and ecstasy, this searching, philosophical 14+ novel is a poignant blend of thriller, romance and science fiction.
