Natural Selection by Clare Edge
Natural Selection is a fierce, darkly funny feminist thriller about three girls confronting a shared predator, plotting revenge and discovering that danger does not lurk only in the woods.
Children’s & YA book reviews
Children’s and YA book reviews
Children’s book reviews: below are our latest reviews of recent children’s and young adult fiction, poetry and non-fiction releases. We listen to recommendations from our readers, teachers, librarians, parents, grandparents, children and authors to decide which new books to review and recommend.
Our team of experienced educators, parents and librarians looks at new picture books for toddlers, early chapter books, first independent readers, middle-grade stories, poetry, teen & young adult, non-fiction and much, much more.
With over two million visitors each year since 2011, the School Reading List is one of the most read and established sources of UK reading recommendations for children’s and YA literature.
We’re committed to being a subscription-free resource for parents, schools, teachers and librarians and we hope that our reviews help to engender and embed a reading-for-pleasure ethos in classrooms and homes all over the country.
We also feature regular round-ups of new books – both fiction and non-fiction – to help support the start of autumn, spring and summer terms in schools; and a monthly ‘book of the month‘ covering new fiction, nonfiction and picture books.
Each review contains a five-word summary, the genre, the ISBN, further information about the author, illustrator and publisher; the publication date; the recommended reading age for the text, and some pointers to indicate which children we think will really enjoy the book.
For each book reviewed there’s also a useful ‘if you liked this book you might also like‘ section, to help teachers and librarians develop each child’s reading interests. Readers can also have a look at each author’s profile page, which includes information about each author, reviews of books by that author, links to teaching resources and contact details for author visits.
Many thanks to the children’s and YA book publishers, publicists and authors for sending review copies.
Our latest new children’s book reviews
My Big Fat Smelly Poo Diary: The Phantom Pooper by Jim Smith
My Big Fat Smelly Poo Diary: The Phantom Pooper is packed with funny, cringeworthy adventures as Pedro, Ozzy and Olga tackle dog poo schemes, bubble tea, trading-card fever and loneliness.
And Now We Run by Nicola Penfold
And Now We Run is a tense, thought-provoking survival story about Jelly and Lincoln, whose friendship, courage and teamwork are tested when extreme weather leaves them trapped by devastating floods.
When Skeletons Rise by Coral Rumble
When Skeletons Rise is a beautifully written story about eleven-year-old Arlo, whose new Cornish home, friendships and local shipwreck history help him face family secrets and change.
Traitors’ Nest by Frances Hardinge
Traitors’ Nest is a beautifully written historical fantasy, combining compelling pace, humour and unpredictability with relatable characters and a quiet optimism that good will triumph.
The Genie Game by Jordan Ifueko
The Genie Game is a fast-paced adventure across real and virtual realms, blending gaming and influencer culture with a strong call to challenge social injustice, exploitation and corporate power.
They Sent a Cat to Saturn by Valerie Bloom, illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max
They Sent a Cat to Saturn is a brilliant collection whose poems speak for themselves, inspiring warm memories of childhood, favourite teachers and the special pleasure of being read to at school.
Moth the Veggie Vampire by Dotty Sutton
Moth the Veggie Vampire (Book 01) is a funny, thoughtful gothic adventure in which a new friendship transforms an isolated half-vampire’s life and gives him the confidence to stand up to bullying.
Local Gods by Melinda Salisbury
Local Gods is a gripping YA folk-horror thriller that draws readers into Sylvie’s emotional journey through small-town cruelty, sinister fairytale echoes and the dangerous magic of the West Woods.
Thorn by A.F. Harrold
Thorn is an ambitious and unusual story in which a metaphysical journey through past, present and future explores identity, self-worth, belonging and the uncertainties of early adolescence.
Time School: We Will Honour Them by Nikki Young
This is another exciting time-travel outing for Nadia, Jess, Tomma and Ash, this time finding themselves in their school back in the winter of 1947 and saving Nadia’s grandfather from an uncertain fate. A pacy and gripping story.
The Neverland Thieves by Katie and Kevin Tsang
The Neverland Thieves is a beautifully written modern return to Neverland, where three children face pirates, mermaids and a chilling enemy while learning about friendship, honesty and themselves.
Game of Pets: The Boy Who Knew Too Much by Aaron Blabey
Game of Pets: The Boy Who Knew Too Much is a funny, accessible illustrated adventure that makes global warming and pollution understandable without becoming scary or doom laden.
Wizardology: 20th Anniversary Edition by Dugald Steer
Wizardology: 20th Anniversary Edition is an interactive wizard’s guide with flaps, captions, diagrams and small booklets, made for searching, lifting, comparing and noticing details.
Winners & Liars by Aleema Omotoni
Winners & Liars is a fun and fresh YA mystery with high-stakes games, slow-burn tension, family secrets, sweet romance and thoughtful social commentary on how history remembers, or erases, Black lives.
Where the Tide Lines Lead by Sophie Cameron
Where the Tide Lines Lead is an atmospheric summer mystery about missing teenagers, fraying friendships and selkie-like magic, with real substance around privilege, class, family and the environment.
A Scrap of Moss and Magick by Helen Parry
A Scrap of Moss and Magick is rich in world building, with likeable protagonists, fascinating spells and incantations, and a story that moves quickly from one problem to the next in a page-turning manner.
Jamaal Target: PHANTOM Agent by Isaac Hamilton McKenzie
Jamaal Target: PHANTOM Agent is fast-moving from the start, making Jamaal instantly likeable and relatable as his life changes through kidnap, secrets, superpowers, danger and questions about identity.
The Wood Where Stories Sing by Andy Shepherd, illustrated by Ellie Snowdon
The Wood Where Stories Sing follows Iggy, Cal and Mae as green magic, torrential rain and threatened trees draw them into a gentle but powerful story about friendship, memories and protecting the woods.
When the Birds Wake Up by Jessica Mary Ellis, illustrated by Sophie Burrows
When the Birds Wake Up is a carefully constructed verse novel told in poems, letters, notes and meditations, following Pear through a new school, bullying, music, friendship and her grandma’s dementia.
A Flood of Memories by Nadia Mikail
A Flood of Memories is a traumatic yet uplifting read about Leila’s return home as floods rise, forcing painful memories to surface while hope, resilience and courage help her face a future of her own.
The School of Gods by Thiago de Moraes
The School of Gods is a funny, illustrated story about Olly Morris’s first year at a school for gods, where three human friends discover that powers are not as vital as they first thought.
Salty Dog and Pals by Helen Stephens and Katie Chappell
Salty Dog and Pals is a charming and entertaining book where Salty, Kitty and Bernard solve four island problems together, with friendship, kindness and humour shown through words and illustrations.
Augusta Pine Does Not Exist by Emily Lloyd-Jones
Augusta Pine Does Not Exist is a dystopian YA thriller that pulls readers into Augusta’s complex life, sketchy past and high-stakes danger, with AI, surveillance and climate change opening debate.
Felix and the Future Agency by Rachel Morrisroe, illustrated by Paddy Donnelly
Felix and the Future Agency is an exciting, well written story with characters to love and loathe, strong world building, familiar London landmarks and a twist likely to return in book two.
Unfairies: Death by Toad by Huw Aaron
Unfairies: Death by Toad is a chaotic, colourful and exciting graphic novel quest, with detailed drawings worth revisiting and a back section showing how the author makes comics.
Buck & Ears Pirate Detectives by Jennifer Bell, illustrated by Sarah Horne
Buck & Ears Pirate Detectives is clever, a little bit silly and fun from start to finish, with likeable characters, interviews, observations and clues that let readers work things out for themselves.
Thornbird by E. Kennedy
Thornbird is a gripping YA thriller about Ryan Shipley, who returns to Starling, Tennessee, as her father’s execution nears and cryptic messages pull her into a dangerous family mystery.
Shadow Reaper by Lynette Noni
Shadow Reaper is a dark YA fantasy with blackmist, reapers, a reluctant alliance and a slow-burning enemies-to-lovers dynamic, driven by twists that leave readers desperate for book two.
Aardvark Day by Victoria Gatehouse, illustrated by Kate Lucy Foster
Aardvark Day is a poetry collection that shares a vision of the natural world in all its variety, surprises and mystery, with trees, rockpools, aardvarks, belugas, butterflies and elephants.
Bone Head: Guardian of the Underworld by Jamie Gregory
Bone Head: Guardian of the Underworld is a funny illustrated adventure in which a self-important skeleton guardian causes disaster, loses Cerberus and crosses the Underworld with Mort’s sarcastic comments.
A Sister Like You by Sarah Hagger-Holt
A Sister Like You is an uplifting, feel-good novel about adopted girls Ella and Ari, whose school choir friendship leads to a life-changing family discovery and questions about identity and belonging.
Alex Abbott is (un)Dead: Diary of a Reluctant Vampire (aged 11½) by Louise Austin, illustrated by Katie Kear
Alex Abbott is (un)Dead: Diary of a Reluctant Vampire (aged 11½) is a funny supernatural adventure with flawed decisions, far-reaching consequences and a chance for Alex to put things right.
The Wild Ones by Steve Cole
The Wild Ones is a story of pampered pets left in a city without humans, where Scamp and his friends must trust each other, face the Things and find their own wildness to reach a new sanctuary.
The Ministry of Manners by David Solomons, illustrated by Hazem Asif
The Ministry of Manners is a dystopian novel that uses politeness and good manners as its starting point, following Alfie and Margot through rules, rebellion, survival and escape against the Ministry.
Captain Sunshine by Alex Milway
Captain Sunshine (Book 01) is a fun cruise ship story for newly confident readers, with Bella taking charge of animal passengers, short chapters, plenty of illustrations and book club discussion points.
How to Steal the Future by Christopher Edge
How to Steal the Future is an exciting page-turner with action all the way, as Drew and Meg race through a shifting maze to save Evie before Drew’s sixty-seven minutes run out.
Lily Tripp: Diary of an Accidental Time Traveller by Amelia Tait
Lily Tripp: Diary of an Accidental Time Traveller is a relatable teen adventure where friendship, crushes and mean girls follow Lily across the centuries, with a fun crash-course in history.
Wildheart by Bec Manser
Wildheart is a fast-moving fantasy with detailed world building, secretive Rangers, danger in the forest and a thoughtful ending, as Nettle fights to save Fern and prove her sister was coerced.
Six Weeks by Matt Goodfellow, illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton
Six Weeks is a beautifully written verse novel about grief, family and hope, following Alfie through a summer of loss and difficult conversations as friendship helps him begin to look ahead again.
Storm Bringer by Tig Wallace
Storm Bringer is an immersive fantasy in which Amelio is swept into a perilous quest through storm-ravaged kingdoms, where magic, loyalty and romance collide under apocalyptic skies.
The Last Death Poet by Stephen Daly
The Last Death Poet is a gripping Belfast-set novel where visions of the city’s past draw Michael into Irish folklore, family mystery and first love, as he faces loss, identity and buried truths.
Her Hidden Fire by Clíodhna O’Sullivan
Her Hidden Fire is a gripping YA fantasy set in an Irish-inspired world, where a young goatherd hides dangerous power and faces corruption, class conflict and a slow-burn romance.
Cinnamon Crumb, Baking Detective: The Great Cake Caper by Harry Woodgate
Cinnamon Crumb, Baking Detective: The Great Cake Caper is a fun, fast-moving story where Cinnamon, Rafi and Amber uncover sabotage, secrets and a mystery that sparks the Crumb Investigations Agency.
Piper at the Gates of Dusk by Patrick Ness
Piper at the Gates of Dusk is a dark, relentless dystopian trilogy opener where rumours spread, fear deepens and two brothers face mounting threats in a world altered by the cure for Noise.
Poetry Pizza by Simon Mole, illustrated by Tom McLaughlin
Poetry Pizza is a lively collection with something to say about the emotions children experience and grow through, from the joy of play and word-messing to doubt, regret and anxiety.
Max and Ella, Stuck Together by Kristina Rahim
Max and Ella, Stuck Together is a compassionate, easy-to-read story about bullying, family and starting secondary school, as Max and Ella learn to work together and build a friendship.
Murder at Hotel Marvelo by Ruth Lauren
Murder at Hotel Marvelo is a fun magical mystery in which Finnian and his sisters investigate a death at their family hotel, uncover secrets and race to clear their parents’ names.
The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss
The Escape Game is a gripping YA murder mystery that blends an escape-room game show with vivid tension, clever puzzles, sabotage, betrayal and a darker mystery beneath the surface.
Always Angel by Kimberly Whittam
Always Angel is uplifting, warm and deeply poignant, following a girl written off at school as she finds friendship, purpose and hope through baking, new trust and second chances.
The Othernauts by Clare Pollard, illustrated by Macha Yao
The Othernauts is a fun retelling of Jason and the Argonauts where Phoebe stows away on the talking Argo, battles self-doubt, and finds friends through fast in jokes and surprises.
Spyglass: Mastermind of Mayhem by David Solomons
Spyglass: Mastermind of Mayhem throws Adam, Zada and Taylor into a hunt for ex-MI6 Professor Goodspeed after a flying bike video goes viral and Dr Toe’s agents threaten the coastline.
Boy vs Reality by James Fox
Boy vs Reality is about Ethan Lacey, raised on a family vlog, bullied by his brother, and hiding worries in Fidget the anxiety monster, until he runs away and posts his own bombshell.
Small Poems for Big Imaginations by Neal Zetter, illustrated by Will Hughes
Small Poems for Big Imaginations is a collection of short poems built around whimsy, puns, alphabet play and acrostics, with illustrations from Will Hughes throughout the 80 pages.
Strike by Mitch Johnson
Strike is a football story where a scout signs Owen and Teddy, but a note in new boots leads Owen to Budi and a protest about factory workers linked to the game, as the internet listens.
Wishbound by Clemency Brown
Wishbound is a West Country and London adventure where Leonie, a wishgiver, flees her captors with Cress. Their friendship, sign language and stubborn hope drive them to safety.
Dragonflare by Jamie Hammond
Dragonflare is an interactive adventure where Flynn, a young thief, is forced into the Wingrider Trials, solving puzzles with River and learning teamwork, trust and bravery to win.
The Heirs by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
The Heirs is a unique and gripping plot about five prodigy siblings, told through a jumping timeline that reveals clues, secrets and moral dilemmas after their father is murdered.
The Wycherleys: Love and Other Curses by Annaliese Avery
The Wycherleys, Love and Other Curses is a seamless sequel where a new coven forms, secrets surface, dark magic closes in, and the romance keeps readers spellbound right to the end.
The Day of Now by Miranda Reason
The Day of Now is an exceptional, unflinching apocalypse novel. Dayna and Pax flee poisonous mist and infected hunters, quickly learning that no one is to be trusted as hope runs out.
The Overthinkers’ Club: Happy List by Nat Luurtsema, illustrated by Cécile Dormeau
The Overthinkers’ Club: Happy List is a diary-style story with doodles, following Birdie as she overthinks school, friends and a new blended family, and grieves for her hamster.
Dead Straight Line by Malcolm Duffy
Dead Straight Line is a perfectly pitched and unerringly relevant story for 12+ year olds that explores trust and responsibility. Every Year 8 and Year 9 student should read it.
The House with Chicken Legs Runs Away by Sophie Anderson
The House with Chicken Legs Runs Away follows Marinka, Benjamin and Jack as they chase a living house after the Gate of Stars breaks, and the house grows frail without the Guiding.
Nadia Islam, on the Record by Adiba Jaigirdar
Nadia Islam, on the Record is a very informative story about Ramadan and climate change in Bangladesh, seen through the eyes of an 8-year-old who wants to be a journalist and loves a challenge.
Dragon Cat by Pie Corbett, illustrated by Tom Morgan-Jones
Dragon Cat is a great children’s poetry collection that keeps eyes and emotions clear and sharp, with poems about owls, unicorns and fast food that will reward lively classroom reading.
Cheesy Bob Strikes! by Sophy Henn
Happy Hills: Cheesy Bob Strikes! is a bright graphic novel where Cheesy Bob the monkey plots revenge in bite-sized chapters, with World of Pants jokes and step-by-step drawing pages at the end.
Burn the Water by Billy Ray
Burn the Water is a YA dystopian Romeo and Juliet as rival soldiers fall in love in drowned London, risking execution while strange vessels arrive and centuries of hatred threaten everything.
We Three Witches by Rosie Talbot
We Three Witches is a spellbinding supernatural mystery set in interwar York, as Viola hunts the truth behind Edie’s death while stolen bones and child ghosts expose deeper corruption.
Magpie Girl by Rowan Foxwood
Magpie Girl is a myth rich quest where Lavender, who grows feathers and speaks to birds, must help Kit find his missing father without freeing a wish granting firebird at all costs.
Ella Jones vs the Battle Noise by Lucy Edwards
Ella Jones vs the Battle Noise is a second quest where Ella is protected from battle noise and must stop Homados, while tensions with Poppy and Finn grow and new pupil River raises questions.
The Great Glacier Hotel Heist by Meg McLaren
Watts and Whiskerton: The Great Glacier Hotel Heist (Book 03) is a whodunit where Watts and Pearl clear his parents after jewels vanish at a snowy hotel, with illustration clues for young readers
The Blitz Sisters by Judith Eagle
The Blitz Sisters is an excellent resource to use to look at a pivotal part of our history through the eyes of children. Well-written and sympathetically described, it’s ideal for children learning about WW2.
Tiny Hercules by Jon Lock, illustrated by Nich Angell
Tiny Hercules is a laugh-out-loud graphic novel where a jam jar sized hero is banished to Earth to complete twelve tasks, starting with a lion that turns out to be a cat.
My Big Fat Christmas Poo Diary by Jim Smith
My Big Fat Christmas Poo Diary is a festive novel of three linked stories, where Pedro, Olga and Ozzy – the Poopies – meet Rubbish Santa, try a reindeer poo scheme, and keep the poo jokes coming.
What Are We Fighting For? Poems About War by Brian Moses and Roger Stevens
What Are We Fighting For? is a thought provoking collection of war poems for children that challenges heroic myths, sows seeds of doubt about conflict and asks what truly causes peace.
Silent Night by Emma Read
Silent Night is a fast-paced, dark and spooky Christmas mystery that keeps readers guessing while exploring grief, anxiety, family and the complicated emotions of growing up.
Anya and the Light Above the Ocean by Amelia Giudici
Anya and the Light Above the Ocean is a cleverly worked middle grade science fiction story that stays engaging and morally questioning, inviting readers to think about the ethics of scientific experiments.
The Bluest Sky by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
The Bluest Sky is a refugee and migration novel that follows a boy who splits public and private selves as his family weighs departure, faces repudiation, and documents a step-by-step path from decision to crossing.
The Topsy-Turvies by Francesca Simon, illustrated by Emily Bolam
The Topsy-Turvies is a bright, joke-packed early reader that flips normal rules on their head and invites children to spot, predict, and laugh while building confidence across short, lively chapters.
Duckling: A Fairy Tale Revolution by Kamila Shamsie, illustrated by Laura Barrett
Duckling is a modern fairytale retelling that follows a duckling who rejects surface approval, claims the right to be different, and chooses trust and belonging across groups and changing places.
The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
The Dot is a bright, simple invitation to make a mark. It shows how a single try can unlock confidence, spark curiosity, and turn doubt into creative momentum that grows page by page.
The Not-So Great Escape by Emma Green
The Not-So Great Escape is two stories in one – a runaway alpaca caper and a sensitive exploration of grief, bullying, counselling and the fragile friendship between Hedley and Aiden.
Escape from the Child Snatchers by Sufiya Ahmed
Escape from the Child Snatchers is an exciting first-person 1860s adventure that tackles homelessness, racial discrimination, poverty and inequality without overwhelming younger readers.
Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet
Beth Is Dead will be published in January 2026 and I highly recommend that any curious classics lovers give it a go. You might just surprise yourself with how well you will love these characters in a modern setting.
The Last Wolf by Rob Biddulph
The Moonhaven Chronicles: The Last Wolf is an exciting, fast-moving adventure that combines friendship, mystery, and danger while exploring themes of trust, freedom, and responsibility with care and respect.
My Cat is Called Odin by Francesco Bedini, illustrated by Stefano Tambellini
My Cat is Called Odin is a gripping Norse myth retelling where frightened Aldo, brave Petra, and their telepathic cat face dark forces and discover the courage to save each other and their world.
Wild Journey by A. M. Dassu, illustrated by Joe Lillington
Wild Journey is a beautifully illustrated set of five stories linking children across continents through courage, kindness, and a murmuration that reminds us of the families we’re born into and those we find.
The Book of Heartbreak by Ova Ceren
The Book of Heartbreak is a magical read filled with love, loss and destiny, as Sare and Leon’s story explores grief, trust and the peril of a heart cursed to break one time too many.
Sad Girl Hours by Anna Zoe Quirke
Sad Girl Hours is a raw, relatable story of friendship, love and self-discovery, as two young women face the complexities of mental health, identity and belonging with honesty and courage.
The Snowy Penguin by Holly Webb
The Snowy Penguin is a heart-warming and educational Antarctic adventure that highlights the value of wildlife research, courage in harsh environments, and the wonder of discovering something truly rare.
Lydia Marmalade and the Christmas Wish by Cariad Lloyd
Lydia Marmalade and the Christmas Wish is a magical, heart-warming Christmas story about belonging, courage, and love, gently exploring grief and new beginnings with warmth and festive spirit.
Classic Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen & The Brothers Grimm
Classic Fairy Tales is a beautiful, authentic take on Andersen and Grimm – not the Disney versions – with colour plates and line drawings sparking comparisons, debate, and classroom activities.
Quill and the Last Generation by C. M. Lewis
Quill and the Last Generation is a thrilling page-turner, following twelve-year-old Quill as he discovers his destiny, faces dragons, and must restore light and warmth to a world lost to perpetual winter.
Ghost by Finbar Hawkins
Ghost is a story of survival and magic, set in mysterious woods where three girls, bound by fate and danger, must unite their strength and determination to overcome a looming force.
Astrosaurs Mission to Infinity by Steve Cole, Tobey Cole and Alex Lopez
Astrosaurs Mission to Infinity is a bold, fast-paced graphic novel adventure packed with dino-fights, chaos, and irreverent humour—perfect for attracting new fans and encouraging reluctant readers to join the fun.
Up Above the City by Clare Weze
Up Above the City is a moving adventure where Jake and Laine uncover invisible lives in hidden places, helping readers see refugees and homeless families differently while searching for hope and friendship.
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Our latest reading national curriculum year group recommended reading lists:
- Books for EYFS | Books for Reception
- Books for KS1 | Books for Year 1 | Books for Year 2
- Books for KS2 | Books for Year 3 | Books for Year 4 | Books for Year 5 | Books for Year 6
- Books for KS3 | Books for Year 7 | Books for Year 8 | Books for Year 9
- Books for KS4 | Books for Year 10 | Books for Year 11
- Books for 6th Form
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