Best children's books - Best Books This Month

It’s easy to feel lost in the flood of so many new children’s books available. Each month, our Review Panel reads scores of new books and we highlight five of our recently published favourites.

This month, our panel of experienced teachers, librarians and children’s book experts has carefully selected five outstanding titles for you to read, and although this month’s picks are all fiction texts, there is real variety in this collection. My Dog weaves sorrow, joy and hope together in a moving tale of one boy’s journey in the aftermath of his mother’s death, supported by a special companion. Adventure and make-believe meet in Dragon Riders of Roar, while The Great Theatre Rescue is described by our reviewer as a “gloriously detailed historical novel” with “shades of Dickens”.

Funny and serious all at once, Speedwheels 3000: The Race Against Crime has themes of family, loss, resilience and hope set against a backdrop of racing cars and mystery. And younger readers will delight at Eid for Nylah, which follows a curious cat who wonders why everyone is so busy, before finally joining in the big celebration they’ve all been preparing for.

Discover our Review Panel’s top new children’s books for you to read in February 2025.

My Dog

David Litchfield & Olivia Wakeford

Chapter book

My Dog is a beautiful, poignant tale of a boy coming to terms with the loss of his mum and the fast-moving changes that happen as a result of her death.

When Rhys’s mum dies, he has to move from his home. Life is a whirl, and the adults in control of Rhys’s life are focusing on the practicalities with seeming disregard for this young man’s emotional turmoil. On what turns out to be his final visit to his mother’s bedside, Rhys spots a lonely black Labrador under her hospital bed. The only problem is that Rhys has not asked Dad’s permission, so the dog – named Worthington – is a secret, and a rather difficult secret to keep!

When Rhys makes a series of wrong choices, things reach a crisis point. He takes matters into his own hands and flees from the problems that surround him, all the while supported by Worthington, the sounding board for all of Rhys’s thoughts and feelings.

Whilst there is sorrow in this tale, it has moments of brightness, moments of joy and love and even gentle humour. It is a dog-themed tale of hope and unconditional love. Worthington will pull at your heartstrings and stay by your side long after the last pages have been savoured.

Dragon Riders of Roar

Alla Khatkevich & Jenny McLachlan

Chapter book

Rose and Arthur are preparing to return to the land of Roar for another trip when they have to postpone due to their aunt Chaya and cousin Lila visiting. As the trip prolongs, they find themselves longing to be back in Roar with their best friends (Win and Mitch) exploring their made-up land and riding Dragons. Rose is busying herself writing a book about Roar, which her twin, Arthur, is not allowed to read. After sneaking a peek, Arthur wants to add his own ideas before reading a rather haunting extract about Jago, a wicked Witch King, who steals children and replaces them with stick changelings. Later that night, he hears his baby cousin cry out in the night and goes to comfort her. As he holds her hand, he feels her chubby fingers dig into his hand and feels sticks. Is Jago real and has he managed to sneak out of Roar and take his cousin? They need to get back into Roar and find out what is happening.

After the success of the Land of Roar series, I was really excited to read this book. I was hooked on the story line and found myself staying up late to read another chapter. The book works as a continuation of the Roar series or as a complete standalone, with the characters and world fully introduced in the first chapter. The story was engaging and the chapters built suspense as we tried to find out if Jago (The Witch King) was alive, whether Rose and Arthur would be successful in becoming Dragon Riders and whether the lost children could be found and returned to the normal states.

The way the story ended allows the author to prepare for another story in the series. I think that this series of books will be a hit with KS2 children and they will be waiting in anticipation for the next in the series.

The Great Theatre Rescue

Judith Eagle

Chapter book

This gloriously detailed historical novel about theatre, set at the beginning of the 20th Century, draws an image of a buzzy, busy London theatre district, pulling together historical details with a fast-paced and exciting plot.

The main character, Charley, is exuberant and vivacious, shining as brightly as the London theatre lights. The theatre setting is a backdrop for a tale about Charley’s character growth, as she overcomes a nightmarish stint at a girls’ boarding school, a long trek from the south coast back to London and the scheming of a nefarious Fagin-esque London criminal, in the process making a friend, uncovering family secrets, and discovering how to overcome stage fright.

There are shades of Dickens, with its reference to orphans and foundlings, the clear London divide between rich and poor, and a richly descriptive text that showcases the rabbit-warren streets of London theatreland. Through the dawning of a new age with electric light and the onset of famous acts such as Duke Ellington, combined with the author’s homage to the theatre magic of Noel Streatfield books, this is a tale of a delightfully flawed main character and a twisty plot that emits a warmth and magnetism that is hard to put down.

Eid for Nylah

Nizrana Farook & Zelma Firdauzia

Picturebook

Nylah the cat just wants to play, but everyone is too busy! As she goes from house to house, families are hanging decorations, making delicious food, wrapping gifts, trying on new clothes and decorating their hands with henna. Mischievous Nyla seems to get wrapped up in it all, but her ‘help’ is not welcome. ‘Poor Nyla!’

Eventually, after being shooed home, the curious cat falls asleep, only to be woken very early for a party! Nyla finally finds out what they are all preparing for when the community comes together for a big Eid celebration in the park, where everyone wants to play!

This has superb representation of different Muslim families and there is a real community feel to the story. With information from the author in the back matter too, this makes a perfect introduction to Eid for EYFS and KS1 settings.

Speedwheels 3000: The Race Against Crime

Jenny Pearson & Katie Kear & Nick East

Chapter book

Evie is an only child desperately trying to spend more quality time with her Dad, Tony, who gives most of his attention to car racing and the Speedwheels 3000 title he has been attempting to win for fifteen years. She decides to stow away in the boot of her Dad’s much-loved racing car in the belief that he won’t be able to take the time to turn back home once he discovers her.

The Speedwheels 3000 event develops into a race against time (and the other competitors) as Evie attempts to unravel the mystery of the stolen gold, evade the Swiss police, and keep ahead of the villains who are trying to retrieve the gold by any means, whilst still winning the competition with her dad.

Written with Jenny Pearson’s trademark humour whilst addressing a serious issue, this story has themes of family, mental health, grief and loss, resilience and hope. The additional ‘fun facts’ about racing and European countries at the start of each chapter are a bonus for curious readers, racing fans and adventure lovers. Highly recommended!