Tag: Children’s books

The Poet X follows Xiomara, a Dominican American 15-year-old from Harlem, as she navigates high school and family life. The novel focuses on how difficult it can be to reconcile the idea your parents have of you and who you actually are, as Xiomara tries to find a balance between exploring her growing interest in…

Charlene is a 15-year-old Black girl living in foster care.  She loves her younger sister Kandi, who she’s not seen for two years, and she loves knitting.  The craft relaxes her and keeps her grounded as her world changes around her over and over again.  But her foster mum’s adult son torments her by destroying…

Granny Came Here on the Empire Windrush is a completely gorgeous picture book for young primary school age children.  The story is by Riverside favourite Patrice Lawrence (we are particular fans of her young adult mystery, Eight Pieces of Silva). Ava loves spending time with her Granny.  They sing together and love to spend time…

What should you do if your best friend always wants to play hide and seek but never wins? Frank the fox faces just this dilemma with his bear friend Bert. In this simple and funny picture book for young children, we explore ideas about what makes a good friend.  Frank gives Bert an extra-long count so…

Epic Adventures is a pleasingly large non-fiction picture book for children about great train journeys.  From the Shinkansen bullet train in Japan to the Trans-Siberian express, this colourfully illustrated book inspires the wish to jump on a train and head off on an adventure.  As we are just opposite London Bridge station, this urge is…

All Through the Night is a cheerful and entertaining picture book for young children about “people who work while we sleep”.  We find out about cleaners and paramedics, journalists and bakers, and all kinds of folk who make our lives possible.  It is a friendly and useful explanation about busy life carrying on even while…

Gretel emerges from the ice to be feted as a Wonder Mammoth: an instant celebrity who makes lots of friends.  But she is the last mammoth on Earth, which is always going to be tricky… Her friends love her, as she is kind and strong and tells the best bedtime stories.  When everyone thinks you…

Alem is alone on his birthday and asks many different creatures what he should do – he is wondering where he should call home.  None of them know but they all give him the same advice: “don’t ask the dragon – he will eat you!” Alem is one to think for himself, so when he…

We travel on the subway with young boy Milo and his sister, on a journey they make every month.  It’s a trip that causes complex emotions…”as usual, Milo is a shook-up soda.  Excitement stacked on top of worry on top of confusion on top of love.  To keep himself from bursting, he studies the faces…

“Celebrations bring us together with music, dance and feasts.  Our celebrations are not only steeped in customs and traditions, they evolve and change as we do”.  We All Celebrate! is a bright and cheerful picture book from Riverside favourite Chitra Soundar, with jolly illustrations by Jenny Bloomfield. A lively and informative text lets us join…

Change Sings is a positive and inspiring picture book, showing how children can make a difference in their home area and beyond. “I’m a chant that rises and rings.  There is hope when my change sings”.  Amanda Gorman is an activist and poet probably best known the UK for the poem she wrote for Joe…

This new special edition of Moominland Midwinter is a complete treat.  It has colour plates and a big map, and is beautifully produced (as books from this publisher usually are).  The colour plates were produced by Jansson in 1961 for the Italian version of the book and make their first UK appearance here, sixty years…

Early in the pandemic, Michael Rosen got very ill with Covid.  This smashing children’s picture book charts his recovery and the friends who helped him get better.  These include not only the NHS staff, and his supportive family, but also his faithful walking stick, Sticky McStickstick. Tony Ross’s sensitive and lively illustration is the perfect…

This is a delightful, mildly spooky picture book from the author of Lost and Found.  There are supposed to be ghosts in our host’s large old house, but she has never seen them – can you?  With the help of tracing paper inserts and atmospheric photos, we can not only find the ghosts but also…

Sasha has an enviable treehouse and a bunch of activities that she’s ready to do at high speed.  She even has lists of books she’s read – including a personal best reading time of 20 seconds!  This is all excellent fun, but when a sloth bonks down on the treehouse roof, she learns that slow…

Lions need a lot of sleep, as everyone knows… but for Arlo it’s too hot, too cold, too prickly, too noisy.  Like everyone who struggles with their sleep, Arlo wonders if he will ever sleep again. Catherine Rayner’s beautiful picture book sets the tone for a peaceful bedtime for small children.  Arlo’s friend Owl swoops…

Rosa has so many interesting questions that her dad suggests they visit the library to get the answers.  But the library is closed and boarded up, because it’s going to be knocked down and replaced by a restaurant.  There will be no library to provide answers. In this striking picture book, Rosa and her family…