by letting them witness it through Nat’s, the main character’s, eyes. Scholastic has also published three books in the Voices series, looking at historical periods through child characters of colour. The most recent of these to appear is E. L. Norry’s Son of the Circus, A Victorian Story about the 19th century circus owner, Pablo Fanqué. Patrice Lawrence’s Diver’s Daughter, A Tudor Story and Bali Rai’s Now Or Never, A Dunkirk Story also published in 2019 were featuring in an earlier Beyond the Secret Garden column.
Middle-Grade Fiction Sharna Jackson’s High Rise Mystery (Knights Of) reinvigorates the ‘detective duo’ trope in children’s literature by placing the action in an urban tower block, where two Black British sisters solve the crime. Toad Attack by Patrice Lawrence and illustrated by Becka Moor (Barrington Stoke) is great fun and written in very accessible language. Planet Omar – Accidental Trouble Magnet written by Zanib Mian and illustrated by Nasaya Mafaridik (Hachette) should be read by anyone who enjoys the Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Tom Gates series. In a similar vein, Cookie and the Most Annoying Boy in the World is the first children’s book from former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq (Piccadilly). Little Badman and the Invasion Of The Killer Aunties written by Humza Arshad and Henry White and illustrated by Alesksei Bitskoff (Penguin) features Humza Khan, an ambitious eleven year old rapper.
Nonfiction Combining poetry and science, James Carter and Nomoco’s Once Upon a Raindrop (Caterpillar) will please readers who respond to words, the workings of nature, and stylish illustration. Jeffrey Boakye and Darren Chetty’s What Is Masculinity? Why Does It Matter? And Other Big Questions (Wayland) is a timely exploration for children between the ages of 9 and 14.
Poetry In this year of heightened concern over the environment, Joseph Coehlo’s A Year of Nature Poems (Wide Eyed Editions) gives young poets and naturalists beautiful images of the nature around them. For an older audience, Sophia Thakur has been a rising star of the spoken word scene for some time now. Somebody Give This Heart A Pen (Walker) is her debut collection and explores issues of identity, difference, perseverance, relationships, fear, loss and joy.
Science Fiction and Fantasy Where the River Runs Gold by Sita Brahmachari (Orion) is not only a beautifully written adventure of two children trying to find their way home through a dystopian world, it carries a timely environmental message as well. Jasbinder Bilan’s debut novel, Asha and the Spirit Bird (Chicken House) is also a journey adventure
with a sense of mysticism pervading it. The Tunnels Below (Pushkin) is as a gripping fantasy debut novel from Nadine Wild- Palmer.
Young Adult YA readers are spoiled for choice this year. Alex Wheatle’s Home Girl (Atom), Elizabeth Acevedo’s With The Fire on High (Hot Key), and Patrice Lawrence’s Rose, Interrupted (Hachette) all focus on teenaged girls trying to navigate their worlds. Dean Atta’s The Black Flamingo (Hodder) beautifully details the story of a gay Black teen as a novel-in-verse. Malorie Blackman’s Crossfire (PRH) continues the story of a racially divided world she first created in Noughts and Crosses. Both Nikesh Shukla’s The Boxer (Hodder) and Savita Kalhan’s That Asian Kid (Troika) have teenage boys deciding how to confront racism and find acceptance. For readers who appreciate surrealism in both story and illustration, Shaun Tan’s short story collection, Tales from the Inner City (Walker Studio) is sure to satisfy. The Million Pieces of Neena Gill (Penguin) is Emma Smith Barton’s first novel for young adults and is a tense and moving look at teenage mental health. Kick The Moon by Muhammed Khan (Macmillan) confirms Khan as an important voice in contemporary YA. Oh My Gods by Alexandra Sheppard (Scholastic) is a smart reworking of Ancient Greek mythology, telling the story of half- mortal London teenager Helen. Becoming Dinah by Kit De Waal (Bellatrix) is a road-trip coming of age YA debut from the author of My Name is Leon. Yasmin Rahman’s YA debut All the Things We Never Said (Hot Key) is a moving tale of friendship told from multiple viewpoints.
In one list, all the books we recommend for giving 2019:
http://booksforkeeps.co.uk/issue/238/childrens-books/ articles/the-books-for-keeps-christmas-books-gift-list-2019
Karen Sands-O’Connor is professor of English at SUNY Buffalo State in New York. She has, as Leverhulme Visiting Professor at Newcastle University, worked with Seven Stories, the National Centre for the Children’s Book, and has recently published Children’s Publishing and Black Britain 1965-2015 (Palgrave Macmillan 2017).
Darren Chetty is a teacher, doctoral researcher and writer with research interests in education, philosophy, racism, children’s literature and hip hop culture. He is a contributor to The Good Immigrant, edited by Nikesh Shukla and the author, with Jeffrey Boakye, of What Is Masculinity? Why Does It Matter? And Other Big Questions. He tweets at @rapclassroom.
Books for Keeps No.239 November 2019 15
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