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Best Books This Month – June 2025

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best books june 2025

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, with something for all young readers including two chapter books, a graphic novel, a picturebook and an information book.

An outstanding non-fiction choice, Ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses from the British Museum is a great introduction to the Greek myths, featuring a wealth of facts and exciting stories alongside eye-catching artwork from Tom Froese. Each double-page spread has a wealth of information and illustrative detail that KS2 children will love to pore over.

Anna James’s Alice With a Why is a reimagining of Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland which follows Alyce (with a Y) as she follows in her grandmother Alice’s footsteps. This is a great classroom read which features a number of familiar characters, including the Mad Hatter. More challenging themese feature in My Name is Samim, a powerful read about a boy’s dangerous journey to Britain, and his time in foster care awaiting a decision on his asylum case.

For younger readers, this month’s selection includes an undersea adventure in Squid Squad, a full-colour graphic novel from Aoife Dooley. For picturebook fans, there’s the vibrantly illustrated My Rice is Best, which uses rice dishes from around the world to show that food, culture and heritage are diverse – and best shared.

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

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This book gripped my heart from author Fidan’s opening note about her research, telling the story of the world’s “nobody children”. Anyone in denial of the plight of refugees needs to read this essential story, packed full of love and empathy and based on real experiences.

5 individual words to describe the book: Family, empathy, fight, survival and hope.

There’s nothing like good home-cooked food to fill a child with delight. This vibrantly illustrated book – from the front cover onwards – presents an endearing close-up look at celebrating other cultures, taking pride in one’s own, and also sharing – all through the realm of rice.

Shane loves his rice and peas, and is does look enticing, steaming hot with its scent wafting into his living room, and the most ultra-super-duper litany of adjectives to describe it. The illustrations take us from Shane’s domestic life, complete with notices on the fridge and a stash of tinned tomatoes behind proud mum, to his visions of grandiosity after eating the best rice in the world.

But what’s wonderful is the careful insertion of family heritage – a recipe passed down through generations, with its own secret ingredient of pimento seeds. All is well with Shane. Until lunchtime at school, and Yinka’s claim that her Jollof rice is the best. Illustrator Oginni could not convey the emotions of small children more strongly. Shane and Yinka’s standoff is one of the best I’ve seen in a picture book. But that’s not it. In this ultimate battle of food, everyone joins in, proclaiming their own rice is best – risotto, paella, pilau and more. The resolution, of course, is a tasting and sharing, but there’s also a beautiful little twist.

An absolute zinger of a picture book, showing that food and culture and heritage is diverse, and is to be shared and celebrated.

A brilliant guide to gods and goddesses from Ancient Greece, suitable for KS2.

Colourful pictures support a wealth of facts to inform children about the strengths and powers of the different gods and goddesses from Ancient Greece. Filled with exciting stories and surprising facts, readers will discover how Zeus became king of the gods, who gave Athens its name, and even why Hera turned a princess into a cow!

This is the perfect first introduction to the Greek myths for any child, with eye-catching artwork on every page by award-winning illustrator Tom Froese. The format gives each double-page spread one focus, and it is easily accessible to a wide range of abilities of children for the curriculum study of the Ancient Greeks.

This is a cheerful, full-colour graphic novel for young readers set in the undersea town of Nowhere. We’re introduced to the main characters, Ollie the vampire squid and his best friend Zing, the sea bunny, who with their friends and neighbours form the Squid Squad, each with their own special aquatic super power. We follow them through a series of wacky adventures in which those super powers eventually save the day.

The balance between having enough peril to make the plot exciting without scaring very young readers is very deftly managed, making this great for KS1.

I expect this book to be particularly popular with children in Years 1-4 and it would work well as a first introduction to graphic novels. It’s prefect for fans of: Max and Chaffy; Narwhal and friends; Peanut, Butter and Crackers; Bumble & Snug.

Alice with a Why is a charming and imaginative reimagining of Lewis Carroll’s beloved Wonderland, perfect for young readers and nostalgic adults alike.

This enchanting tale follows Alyce, the curious granddaughter of Alice, as she tumbles back into the topsy-turvy world her grandmother once explored. With familiar, friendly characters making delightful returns, like the Mad Hatter and the Caterpillar, the story follows Alyce’s journey through Wonderland as she searches for The Time Being to put a stop to a celestial feud between the Queen of the Moon and the Sun King.

Alyce’s determination, kindness and hope guide her through a whimsical yet heartfelt journey, making it a wonderful read for classrooms and bedtime alike. Themes of empathy, courage, and problem-solving shine throughout, offering valuable discussion points for teachers and parents.

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Many thanks to our review panel members Victoria Williams, Emma Derome, Amy Hilyard and Clare Zinkin for reviewing this month’s selection.

 

 

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