BOOKS OF THE MONTH

Children’s and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels

There’s Nothing Faster Than a Cheetah By Tom Nicoll, illustrated by Ross Collins

Cocky Cheetah is confident she can’t be caught by rhinos on roller skates or a rocket-powered rabbit. But will the snails surprise her? This Wacky Races-style riot of a picture book features the deliciously unexpected.

Blue By Sarah Christou Sweet and welcomingly simple, this picture book emphasises the healing power of shared words.

Protecting the Planet: Emperor of the Ice By Nicola Davies, illustrated by Catherine Rayner

For 5+ readers, breathtaking images and powerful words tell the story of the emperor penguin’s struggle to adapt to the changing climate.

Arthur Who Wrote Sherlock By Linda Bailey, illustrated by Isabelle Follath

The true story of the man and the imagination

behind the world’s most famous detective, superbly told for readers of 6+, with engaging illustrations.

A Tricky Kind of Magic By Nigel Baines

Cooper has always loved magic, but his dad’s sudden death feels like the worst vanishing trick of all. Angry, sad and lost, Cooper can’t talk to anyone – until the old rabbit from Dad’s top hat tells him there’s a place his father can still be found: the land where magic goes wrong. But who and what is really waiting for them? This funny, poignant, imaginative graphic novel for 8+ looks warmly and accessibly at grief.

A Romani Story – A Different Kind of Freedom By Richard O’Neill

Lijah loves life as a nomadic Romany boy – but he loves football too, despite his father’s prohibitions. When Lijah’s talent starts opening up opportunities for him, he’s torn between his way of life and the game that might shape his destiny. For 8+ football fans, this gripping story of a boy finding his own path.

The Boy Who Didn’t Want to Die By Peter Lantos

Uprooted from his Hungarian home and eventually imprisoned in Bergen-Belsen, five-year-old Peter is shielded from the worst horrors by his fierce, courageous mother. This extraordinary true story for 9+, told from a child’s perspective, is a gentle, hope-filled introduction to Holocaust history.

This Book Kills By Ravena Guron

When Jess Choudhary writes a short story featuring a murder with a bizarre detail, she doesn’t expect fiction to become fact – or find herself on the killer’s list. A gripping YA debut.

Influential By Amara Sage

Almond Brown is 17 and “internet famous” but has no real-life friends. Her 3.5 million followers wait hungrily for every update. As her anxiety rises and cruel trolls target her, can Almond break free of #influencerlife? IMOGEN RUSSELL WILLIAMS IS A CHILDREN’S BOOK CRITIC