Books: children & YA

in a new series of Adventures in Time, historian Dominic Sandbrook delves into the world of The Six Wives of Henry VIII and The Second World War reviewed by Anne Coates.

I Love my Bike is a delightful and enchanting book, written by Simon Mole and illustrated by Sam Usher, reviewed by Christine Mayle.

Who wouldn’t love Little Brown Bear? He tries his best and is a good friend to others. These two books, It’s OK to Make Mistakes and It’s OK to Need a Friend, provide perfect scenarios with which to introduce important moral and social themes with young children, writes Christine Mayle.

What If, Pig? by Linzie Hunter is the perfect book for small children who worry, are anxious and overthink especially during these difficult times, writes Anne Coates.

The Deep Blue by Charlotte Guillain and illustrated by Lou Baker Smith is a "stepping stone" book for those children developing an interest in the natural world around them and investigating more descriptive language in their reading, speaking and listening. Christine Mayle reviews.

With illustrations by award-winning Christian Robinson, The Bench by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex is a charming love song for her husband and son, and all fathers and sons. Anne Coates reviews.

The Ghost in the Garden is the third book in the A Girl Called Justice series by Elly Griffiths. Anne Coates loved it.

Helen Burrows and  her son were delighted to be reading Bad Apple a fabulous picture book by Edward Hemingway. 

Percy the Park Keeper: Nature Trail Activity Book

Albert, Upside Down by Ian Brown and Eoin Clarke – a charming, delightfully illustrated children’s book, reviewed Christine Mayle.

Now in its eighth year, Oscar’s Book Prize celebrates the best in storytelling for under-fives, crowning the UK’s best picture book. The prize was created to remember Oscar Ashton, who was three-and-a-half when he died from an undetected heart condition in 2012.

Curls written by Ruth Forman and illustrated Geneva Bowers is an affirming board book for those with black hair, reviewed by Anne Coates.

Sharon M. Draper's beautifully written novel, Blended about an eleven-year-old's struggle to be herself not what or how other people see her. Review by Anne Coates.

Reaching for the Moon is the inspirational autobiography of NASA Mathematician, Katherine Johnson. Review by Anne Coates. 

Future Friend is David Baddiel's first foray into writing science fiction and it's a brilliant entry into the genre with fabulous illustrations by Steven Lenton writes Anne Coates.

Published by HarperCollins, Draw With Rob At Christmas by Rob Biddulph is perfect for the run up to the festive season, writes Anne Coates.

A Girl's Guide to Being Fearless subtitled How To Find Your Brave by Suzie Lavington and Dr Andy Cope who guide girls to find their best selves and the publication date falls during Anti-Bullying Week 2020 (16 to 20 November), and 'The Chapter About Bullying' is dedicated to providing strategies for overcoming this. Anne Coates reviews.

The climate crisis is everyone’s crisis and we need to work together to solve it. Ejected by Dawn Pape is a novel for teenagers and young adults that shows how, with the will and wisdom to do it, we can. We are all accountable for the damage being done, but we can also all help to fix it.