Children’s Literature News August 2025
Children’s book news for August 2025: classroom reading picks, prize winners, nature writing, humour awards, YA headlines, festivals, and policy moves shaping libraries and school resources.
Recommended reading books for primary & secondary aged children in the UK
Shirley Hottier is a French illustrator working across children’s and young adult publishing, editorial commissions and book cover design. She initially trained in architecture and is a self-taught illustrator, developing a portfolio for picture books, poetry collections and commercial clients.
Hottier won the Illustration category of the FAB Prize in 2021. She subsequently received a Create:Inclusion grant from Creative Scotland, and her work has been featured by agencies and industry organisations alongside commissions for charities and magazines.
Her picture-book credits include illustrating Anne Wynter’s Patrick and the Not-So-Perfect Party (Little Bee Books, 11 June 2024). In poetry, she created the interior artwork and cover for The Poetry World of John Agard by John Agard (Otter-Barry Books, 2025), a project longlisted for the World Illustration Awards.
Hottier’s practice spans colour and black-and-white work, maps and site-specific pieces. She is represented for books by Emily Talbot at United Agents.
Selected works: Illustrator, Patrick and the Not-So-Perfect Party (Little Bee Books, 2024); illustrator, The Poetry World of John Agard (Otter-Barry Books, 2025).
Children’s book news for August 2025: classroom reading picks, prize winners, nature writing, humour awards, YA headlines, festivals, and policy moves shaping libraries and school resources.
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Our latest reading national curriculum year group recommended reading lists:
Picture books for the under 5s | Books for Reception | Books for Year 1 | Books for Year 2 | Books for Year 3 | Books for Year 4 | Books for Year 5 | Books for Year 6 | Books for Year 7 | Books for Year 8 | Books for Year 9 | Books for Year 10 | Books for Year 11