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

An outstanding non-fiction choice, We are All Animals explores the traits that we as humans have in common with animals, introducing complex scientific concepts in child-friendly language accompanied by clear, attractive illustrations. Our Review Panel describe this title as a “a great book to dip in and out of, but also useful in science lessons as it discusses areas covered in the National Curriculum for Science in clear and interesting ways.” STEM themes also feature in Supa Nova, the first in a brand new series of graphic novels which follows Nova as she searches for solutions to environmental problems in her secret lab.

May’s chapter book recommendations include popular middle-grade author Jenny Pearson’s first step into the historical fiction genre with Shrapnel Boys, a gripping story about the lives of a group of young boys during the Second World War, published to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the end of the war. Equally thought-provoking is Land of the Last Wildcat, a fast-paced debut novel from Lui Sit which takes the reader on a beautifully described and illustrated adventure while exploring themes of folklore and conservation.

For younger readers, this month’s selection includes a picturebook from Mr Gum author, Andy Stanton. Danny McGee Drinks the Sea is highlighted by our Review Panel as “a funny and boldly illustrated story book” with playful rhyme that would make a great classroom read-aloud.

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

Shrapnel Boys

Jenny Pearson

Chapter book

Shrapnel Boys is a gripping story about the lives of a group of young boys living in London during the Second World War.

Ronnie is naively excited by the prospect of war, fighter planes and everything else that he associates with war, and he can’t wait for the action to start. When the war finally comes to London, although the reality is scarier than they thought, Ronnie and his friends are excited to race each other to collect the best bits of shrapnel each morning after a night of bombing.

But, the war also brings an unwelcome visitor into Ronnie’s life – straight away, Ronnie can tell that Johnny is up to no good and when Ronnie’s brother starts to get caught up in whatever it is that Johnny is up to, Ronnie decides to take matters into his own hands to protect his brother.

This is a truly outstanding book which manages to weave so many themes into its pages. It deals with issues around family, friendship, bravery and loss, coupled with providing insight and historical facts about an important time in British history.

Land of the Last Wildcat

David Dean & Lui Sit

Chapter book

A debut middle grade novel from Lui Sit, Land of the Wildcat rests beautifully as an adventure novel with an environmental undertone.

Puffin Lau, the 10 year old protagonist of the story, has lost both of her parents and lives with her best friend Lance and his grandad Moe. Thankfully, Lance shares Puffin’s love of adventure, but when her mother fails to keep her promise to deliver a talk to her class on the Kuri, long, lost wildcat of Linger Island, Puffin takes it upon herself to act as museum guide, a role she feels well qualified for.

Before she has time to complete her talk, her Mum’s boss Professor Smoult takes over and Puffin, smarting with anger, decides to investigate for herself just what her Mum felt was so important that she couldn’t be there for her daughter.

While at times fantastical, Sit masterfully weaves the emotions and relationships of each of the characters in an animal tale that explores folklore and conservation work, while keeping up the pace of the adventure and painting a picture of each scene in the story, taking the reader on a real journey of exploration.

We are All Animals

Ben Hoare & Christopher Lloyd & Mark Ruffle

Non-fiction

We Are All Animals is part of the ‘What on Earth!’ children’s information books, exploring elements of life on Earth from Bees to Wind. This book focuses on the similarities between animals, in particular demonstrating common traits between different species and humans. The aim is to highlight that humans should treat other species as equally important, as, after all, we are all animals.

The foreword, by ‘Supervet’ Professor Neil Fitzpatrick suggests that our similarities with other animals should mean doctors and vets work together to understand living things better and provide an equal amount of technology, medicines and care to all species of animal. Each double-page spread highlights a commonality between living things, e.g. we are all tubes (focusing on digestion), we are all networked (focusing on nervous systems), as all pass things on (focusing on genetics and inheritance) and so on. Each section introduces the topic, explaining some complex scientific processes in clear, child-friendly language, before giving specific examples in humans and then a range of different animal species. For example, in the ‘We all have feelings,’ pages, emotions are demonstrated through the fear of rattlesnakes, the grief of African elephants, the love of birds, the fun of bees and the joy of rats!

The illustrations by Mark Ruffle are clear and pleasing to the eye. Complex scientific diagrams are simplified yet still accurate. This is a great book to dip in and out of, but also useful in science lessons as it discusses areas covered in the National Curriculum for Science in clear and interesting ways.

Supa Nova

Chanté Timothy

Graphic novel

This ‘out of this world’ graphic novel has lots to like and is a strong first offering from a brand new series of young graphic novels.

The story follows Nova, who is from a family of scientists and creative geniuses. Influenced by an environmental problem she sees on the news, Nova rushes to her secret lab to try to find a solution. After a few attempts, she succeeds, and all seems well until things get out of control and she is in a race against time to stop Chomp on his path of destruction. Nova soon realises that she cannot do this on her own and needs to enlist the help of her sister Cassi.

This short and easy-to-read graphic novel is fast-paced, fun and the perfect read for budding inventors or scientists. With bright colours, energetic characters and important themes like plastic pollution, girls in STEM and environmental problem-solving, this is pitched for 7-9 year olds and will surely appeal across primary schools.

Danny McGee Drinks the Sea

Andy Stanton & Neal Layton

Picturebook

A super silly picture from Andy Stanton – best known for the Mr Gum books.

Danny McGee drinks the sea after betting his sister (Fannie Mcgee) that he could. Once he drinks all of the sea, he starts to munch, crunch and devour everything in his sight: trees, mountains, animals, insects and even people. Once he starts, he does not seem to be able to stop. He carries on until he has eaten everything in the world and there is nothing left; he has just left one person – his sister. What will she make of her brother eating everything, and what will she do?

A funny and boldly illustrated story book, which made a great bedtime story for my little boy. We loved the way that it rhymed all the way through, rhyming with the word McGee until it seemed that there were no more words to rhyme. The story is silly and full of nonsense, but that is what makes it so successful and enjoyable to read.

The book would be great to use within the classroom as an EYFS or KS1 read-aloud and could be used as a stimulus for children to create their own silly story with a rhyming pattern in it, as a lighthearted link to seaside and coast topics, or just for the pure storytime fun.