XXth Monthname 2025
has a subtle message about acceptance and how curiosity can lead to friendship.
Sarah Reid, Karl West (illus) The Twelve Bums of Christmas
Scholastic, 9th, £7.99, PB, 9780702341588
A little elf gets ready for Christmas and meets lots of smelly bums along the way
in this commercial title, based on the popular festive song.
Michael Rosen ( 5), Daniel Egnéus (illus) The Big Dreaming
Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 9th, £7.99, PB, 9781408883280
Paperback publication of Rosen and Egnéus’ beautiful story about a Little Bear, who sets out to find enough dreams to see him and Big Bear through the winter.
Felicita Sala A Lost Cause Abrams & Chronicle Books, 9th, £13.99, HB, 9781419766916
Pablo cannot keep track of all his belongings and is worried, because show-and-tell is coming up. This sweet picture book is a gentle reminder that children should take care of their things, told with humour and silliness.
Nick Sharratt Mullets Puffin, 9th, £7.99, PB, 9780241786536
Sharratt celebrates a particular hairstyle in this bright and bold story, set on Mullet Isle.
Andy Shepherd, Sarah Warburton (illus) The Boy Who Grew Dragons: A Christmas Delivery
Templar Books, 9th, £7.99, PB, 9781835874264
Shepherd is bringing The Boy Who Grew Dragons stories to a younger audience with this festive picture book, in which a snow dragon unleashes a flurry of snow that is so deep that the Christmas presents will not be delivered on time. Tomas, Lolli, Grandad and the dragons must work together to save the festive season.
Isabelle Simler The Ocean at Night Pushkin Children’s, 9th, £12.99, HB, 9781782694885
This beautiful book by Simler, a French illustrator, explores the wonders of the ocean at night and shows turtles laying their eggs and whales trawling the water for plankton.
18
Stephanie Stansbie, Wendy J Warren (illus) The Bear Who Wanted to Dance
Little Tiger, 2nd, £12.99, HB, 9781838918675
In this story about body positivity, Rita, who loves ballet, has to learn to find her inner power and appreciate her big bear shape.
Christina Sutton, Sarah Maycock (illus) Together We Are… A Celebration of Family and Belonging
Big Picture Press, 10th, £14.99, HB, 9781800789524
Exploring messages of love, comfort and safety, the poems in this picture book uplift the family unit and are illustrated with animals who also find sanctuary with their loved ones.
Kate Thompson, Natelle Quek (illus) Christmas Lights on Mistletoe Street
Puffin, 9th, £7.99, PB, 9780241621189
When Holly notices that one house on the street is not lit up for Christmas, she is determined to involve its elderly inhabitant, Ivy, in the festive fun. A heartwarming story about the power of community.
Various, Mariona Cabassa (illus) Spin a Story
Red Shed, 23rd, £14.99, HB, 9780008685973
Move the spinner on the front of this book and follow its directions to stories in the categories of “explore”, “wonder”, “laugh” and “ooh!”. Authors who contributed stories to this title include Sital Gorasia Chapman, Sam Hume and Rebecca Lewis-Oakes.
Brian Wildsmith The Twelve Days of Christmas
Oxford University Press, 2nd, £7.99, PB, 9781382070751
The classic Christmas song is given a new look with illustrations
5
from renowned artist Wildsmith.
Harry Woodgate ( 4) The Butterfly House Andersen Press, 10th, £12.99, HB, 9781839132896
Holly befriends Miss Brown, who lives in a wild and overgrown house, and friendship blossoms, alongside a host of Miss Brown’s beloved butterflies. A gorgeously detailed celebration of nature and community.
Katie Woolley, Grasya Oliyko (illus) Guess Who? Merry Christmas to You!
Nosy Crow, 9th, £12.99, HB, 9781805133896
In the third book in the Guess Who? series penguin and his festive friends deliver Christmas presents. Also published in paperback (902).
Mark Wordsworth, Ruby Wright (illus) Today
Flying Eye Books, 9th, £12.99, HB, 9781838743420
Film-maker Wordsworth makes his debut with this sweet picture book
that celebrates the milestones that a parent observes in their baby and toddler.
Fiction 5-9
Adam Baron, Benji Davies (illus) The Very Last Christmas Present HarperCollins Children’s Books, 23rd, £12.99, HB, 9780008666255
4
Father Christmas’ dog Kado comes to the rescue when the reindeers show signs of exhaustion, setting out on a journey across the world to help deliver the very last present.
Helen Cooper The Taming of the Cat Faber, 23rd, £8.99, PB, 9780571359646
A mouse who does not want to be eaten tells a hungry cat a story about a runaway princess, a cat that can grow to the size of a panther, an enchanted feast, a vanishing cavern and a quest to find a magical herb. Previously published in hardback.
Tracy Curran The Yeti’s Sneeze UCLan, 2nd, £7.99, PB, 9781916747807
Mountain rescue unicorn Sunny and his unicopter Bee come to the rescue when a big “atishoo” triggers an avalanche. Second in the series Unicorns in Uniform.
Bex Hogan Bronte Tempestra and the Vanishing Kingdom
Piccadilly Press, 23rd, £7.99, PB, 9781800784949
Bronte must once more save the day when she finds out that the Sun Bolt has been stolen from her friend Ellie’s kingdom. Fourth and final novel in Hogan’s funny fantasy adventure series.
Nathanael Lessore, Simran Diamond Singh (illus) Time Travel Is NOT My Superpower
Little Tiger, 2nd, £7.99, PB, 9781788956659
Sara accidentally transports herself, her best friends and her nemesis back in time. They are warned to not interact with anyone but that becomes difficult when they are dragged into a birthday party.
Leah Mohammed My Magic Hamster: Hide and Squeak
Welbeck Children’s Books, 9th, £7.99, PB, 9781804536322
Sana’s naughty hamster continues to get her into trouble in the second book in Mohammed’s magical series .
Harriet Muncaster The Diary of Wiska Wildflower: The New School
Oxford University Press, 2nd, £7.99, PB, 9781382054263
Muncaster is publishing the first in a new series this October with this book about Wiska, a tiny “wiskling” creature who flies around on an enchanted bloom. In this first story, written in diary format, Wiska joins Inkcaps Academy, and is caught up in the familiar struggle between fitting in with new people and being herself. A new Isadora Moon, Isadora Moon and the Pop Stars (0192787866), will also be released in October.
Michael Rosen ( 5) Michael Rosen’s Totally True (and Totally Silly) Bedtime Stories
Wren & Rook, 8th, £9.99, PB, 9781526368003
This collection of stories about elephants who sway to classical guitar music, a fish who is best friends with a diver and the boy who found a giant shark tooth was previously published in hardback.
Nicky Smith-Dale, Sarah Horne (illus) Betty Steady and the Fidgety Witch
Farshore, 9th, £6.99, PB, 9780008600402
The princesses of Wobbly Rock have swooned into a coma, thanks to a bunch of poisoned daffodils, so Betty and the gang must find the cure. Third in a series.
Books Children’s Previews
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
