Children and teenagers

A bullying beetle; an Irish myth; the search for a magical beast; and a gripping coming-of-age story set in Ghana.

Not Now, Noor!

Farhana Islam, illustrated by

Nabila Adani

P U F F I N , £ 7. 9 9

When Noor asks the women in her family why they wear hijabs, no one will tell her – until her mum gives her the answers. Lively, curious and full of fun, this picture book is steeped in love and pride.

The Big Bad Bug

T WO HOOTS, £12.99

A big, bullying beetle terrorises the other minibeasts in the garden. Will he ever learn to share? A funny, colourful picture book from the author of One Fox.

Bear and Bird

The Picnic and

Other Stories

Jarvis

WA L K E R , £ 9 . 9 9

These wittily illustrated stories of mishaps, hurt feelings, fondness and friendship have a transporting quality, ideal for 5+.

Secret Beast Club

The Unicorns of Silver Street

Robin Birch, illustrated by Jobe Anderson

P U F F I N , £ 7. 9 9

For 6+, this new series of magical beast-finding adventures has an urban setting and a thrilling, inclusive feel.

Thirty Trillion Cells

How Your Body

Really Works

Isabel Thomas, illustrated by

Dawn Cooper

WELBECK, £14.99

A gorgeous in-depth look at the human body’s building blocks, for readers of 7+.

Alan Titley, illustrated by Eoin Coveney

LIT TLE ISL AND, £8.99

This gutsy, vivid, gruesomely humorous retelling of the seminal Irish myth is perfectly judged for folklore addicts of 8+, with text heightened by brawny, satisfying illustrations.

Where the River Takes Us

B L O O M S B U RY, £ 7. 9 9

It’s 1974, and Richie and Jason have been recently orphaned, plus there are power cuts and a three-day week, and Richie’s struggling to pay the bills. When 13-year-old Jason sees a competition promising £100 for a photo of the mysterious Beast of Blaengarw, he and his best friends set off on a quest that will change them for ever. This poignant, funny adventure for 9+ is rich in evocative detail.

The Door of No Return

ANDERSON, £14.99 Eleven-year-old Kofi is a dreamer who loves swimming, his elders’ stories and his friend Ama. When a village celebration leads to sudden death, though, Kofi’s everyday happiness is ripped away, leaving only dreams to set him free. Set in modern-day Ghana, Alexander’s verse novel for 12+ is a visceral, gripping coming-of-age story.

D AV I D F I C K L I N G , £ 1 2 . 9 9

When Luki’s mountain village in the Philippines receives an invitation from President Roosevelt, asking them to visit the World’s Fair in Missouri, Luki leaps at the chance to defy the village elders. But the US’s welcome doesn’t prove all that she hopes … This YA companion to the acclaimed Bone Talk confirms Gourlay as a brilliantly accomplished and original historical novelist.

Different for Boys

Patrick Ness, illustrated by Tea Bendix

WA L K E R , £ 1 2 . 9 9

Featuring black “redactions” of bad language and Bendix’s elegant, minimalist illustrations, this slim, powerful 14+ story of friendship, attraction and internalised homophobia follows

Ant Stevenson and his complex relationships with three boys at school. A quietly unforgettable book from an awardwinning author.