Spring Round-up: new children's and YA books you might have missed

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From library audits to bespoke selections, our team of qualified teachers, school librarians and book experts are on hand to help all schools find the best books for their students. You can read their regular advice about reading for pleasure and literacy on our News and blog.

They are also well known for their group dressing-up on charity days!

meeT OUR team

Mr Fox’s Game of “No”!
by David LaRochelle and Mike Wohnoutka (illustrator)

ISBN 9781529522648
Walker Books

Can you beat Mr Fox at his Game of No? This interactive picture book challenges children to answer every question with "NO" - even when their brain keeps insisting "YES!".

From our team: "It's good fun and would be fabulous for story times. The text flows well, and it's not easy to say no! The illustrations are vibrant and amusing. Great stuff."

Don’t Trust Fish
by Neil Sharpson and Dan Santat (illustrator)

ISBN 9781839136429
Andersen Press

Fishy facts told by a suspicious narrator. What's their problem with fish?

Voted Book of the Week 4 April 2025

Letters to a Monster
by Patricia Ford and Sarah Warburton (illustrator)

ISBN: 9781526615817
Bloomsbury Children's Books

Friendship grows between a letter-writing girl and the monster beneath her bed.

Voted Book of the Week 21 March 2025

The Bicycle
by Patricia McCormick, Mevan Babakar and Yas Imamura (illustrator)

ISBN: 9780008720391
Farshore

A young refugee girl is gifted a bicycle through a new neighbour's act of kindness.

Voted Book of the Week 21 February 2025

I’m Building a Nest
by Saskia Gwinn and Adam Ming (illustrator)

ISBN: 9780711295544
Happy Yak

Follow Bird as she discovers how animals make their homes in this faction picture book.

Voted Book of the Week 28 March 2025

How Does it Work?
by Maddie Moat and Paul Boston (illustrator)

ISBN: 9780241652558
Puffin

Take a look inside everyday objects and machines, with lots to spot and solve.

The Sun is not Yellow
by Cath Ard, Emily Cox (illustrator) and Louis Vettese (illustrator)

ISBN: 9781837959396
Igloo Books

A fascinating, bright and vivid guide all about colour. This browser explores the uses of, meaning behind, and the science of colour and is ideal for topic support and leisure reading.

From Dawn, Children's Book Specialist: “This is the kind of book that will encourage children to look into things further and awaken their fascination with the world around them.”

The Day my School got Famous
by Jen Carney

ISBN 9780241631355
Puffin

This funny story follows Ferris and his family, as his new foster brother enters their life with a BANG (and an unexploded bomb is found in his school!). It is a good class read, with lots of heart and plenty of questions to explore.

From Natalie, Children's Book Specialist: "A light hearted read with family at the centre, that will appeal to a wide range of children."

Marty Moose: First Class Mischief
by Claire Powell (Debut author!)

ISBN 9781529524031
Walker Books

Join Marty Moose on his entertaining and daft capers during his first day of work delivering post.

Daisy and the Trouble with Shopping
by Kes Gray & Garry Parsons (illustrator)

ISBN 9780241714881
Puffin

Dragged along to the clothes sales, Daisy is BORED. And that only leads to trouble...

Don’t Squish a Slug
by Yussef Rafik & Riley Samels (illustrator)

ISBN 9780711293434
words & pictures

Learn why minibeasts and bugs are the most important creatures on the planet.

How to build an Orchestra
by Mary Auld & Elisa Paganelli (illustrator)

ISBN 9781526309846
Wayland

Follow a conductor as he auditions each instrument to create a orchestra, with downloadable music.

Squirrel and Duck: Mission Improbable
by Tom Percival

ISBN 9781526665638
Bloomsbury Children's Books

Squirrel and Duck are the only talking animals in the world - of course they get on each other's nerves! But when their secret theme park home is demolished, they must search for a new home. With plenty of laugh out loud moments, and lively black and white illustrations that help bring the characters to life, this is an eventful, hilarious, and completely bonkers tale.

From Stephanie, Children's Book Specialist: “An accessible read full of humour and Ahhh moments between friends. Great to encourage reading for pleasure!”

Wildlands
by Brogen Murphy (Debut author!)

ISBN 9780241728109
Puffin

This exciting adventure takes place 25 years in the future and will keep the reader gripped until the end. Two sisters find themselves stranded in the Wildlands, a vast rewilded part of Britain where lynx, wolves and bison roam, and no humans may go. Do they have the ingenuity and determination to survive and make it home?

From Dawn, Children's Book Specialist: "The main characters show resilience and determination when faced with a frightening situation. This story tells readers that it just goes to show what you can achieve if you put your mind to it!"

Peregrine Quinn and the Cosmic Realm
by Ash Bond (Debut author!)

ISBN 9781800786837 (paperback edition January 2025)
Piccadilly Press

A girl is plunged into a laser-firing myth-filled world when her immortal godfather is kidnapped.

Voted Book of the Week 7 June 2024 (hardback edition)

After
by Padraig Kenny

ISBN 9781529517804
Walker Books

This dystopic page-turner follows a girl and the android she calls father after a technological collapse.

The Cheat Book Vol.2: Can Kamal Survive the Wild?
by Ramzee

ISBN 9781444973419
Hodder Books

Join Kamal and his best friends on their bonkers adventures during a class trip to the woods.

One Day
by Michael Rosen & Benjamin Phillips (illustrator)

ISBN 9781529515985
Walker Studio

An extraordinarily powerful picture book memoir about a Jewish resistance member and his father who escaped a convoy bound for Auchwitz.

Voted Book of the Week 17 January 2025

Ancient Egypt
by Joann Fletcher, Justine Willis and Pauline Doherty (illustrator)

ISBN 9780241683163
Dorling K

Travel back in time and explore the everyday lives of Ancient Egyptians in this ultimate guide, from farming alongside the mighty River Nile to worshipping powerful gods and goddesses.

From the team: "A fabulous insight into Ancient Egyptians with excellent photos and illustrations. The layout is appealing and the text is short and concise. It's bright, informative and mesmerising. A great book for libraries and schools."

Voted Book of the Week 14 March 2025

For She is Wrath
by Emily Varga (Debut author!)

ISBN 9781035045037 (paperback edition January 2025)
Pan Macmillan Children's

With a new identity, and dangerous jinn magic, Dania enters a cat-and-mouse game to exact her revenge on the ex-lover who betrayed her. But revenge is not easy - especially when the heart is involved...

From the team: "This has been pitched by the publisher as a gender-flipping re-imagining of Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo. It is gripping from the outset with tense pacey action that really has you hooked, a feisty female lead with which you feel every blow and betrayal, strong cultural references that enhance the sense of place and setting, and a buzzing, well-developed plot with plenty of ups and downs. A harsh, gritty but excellent debut, Emily Varga is an author to watch."

Voted Book of the Week 15 November 2024

Stealing Happy
by Brian Conaghan

ISBN 9781526653987
Bloomsbury

In this darkly funny read, teen Sonny schemes to save his family from the clutches of loan shark Chick Lennon. As long as his Tourette's doesn't give him away...

Songs for Ghosts
by Clara Kumagi

ISBN 9781803288086
Zephyr

Inspired by Madame Butterfly, this is another atmospheric, captivating title by the author of Catfish Rolling.

Voted Book of the Week 7 March

Where the Heart Should Be
by Sarah Crossan

ISBN 9781526666574
Bloomsbury

Young love between an Irish scullery maid and the nephew of an English aristocrat fights to bloom against the dark backdrop of the famine in 1840s Ireland. 

The Last Dragon on Mars
by Scott Reintgen

ISBN 9780861549993
Rock The Boat

Science fiction and fantasy collide in this adventure where a young boy is chosen to save Mars by its last surviving dragon.

Voted Book of the Week 7 February

Don't miss this summer's best new books for children and teens

Our team add new Recommended Reads every week so you don't miss the best new releases for young readers.

Check the Recommended Reads page regularly, or sign up to our monthly newsletter to get book recommendations and advice straight to your inbox.

Looking for more recommendations? Check out our librarians' top picks

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