Children&#8217;s Books: 10 You Might Have Missed

Following the journey of Alex and his father across Europe as they attempt to escape a brutal government and seek refuge, Running Out of Time is a unique blend of science fiction and thriller, while also tackling some difficult real-life current events including refugee journeys across Europe.

The story is full of action and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat while showing just a fraction of the emotional toll those fleeing conflict face in their journey to safety. The author states in their afterword that the book is not an attempt to convey all the difficulties that refugees face, however, I believe that the book would be a great way to begin to open up conversations about this topic.

The narrative alternatives between different time perspectives, with each chapter having a title page identifying which time period it is set in. I personally enjoy books that switch perspectives, whether this is through a jump in time or a change of character, and I believe it is important that children are exposed to this style in order to further develop their reading skills, particularly UKS2 and more confident readers.

Running Out of Time has been one of my favourite middle-grade books so far this year and I will be taking it straight into school to add to our school library. I can’t wait to recommend it to many of our pupils. A five-star read for me!

Publisher: Nosy Crow

Publication date: August 2022

2. The House of Shells

By Efua Traoré

Reviewer: Gabby McConalogue

Chapter book (9+)

The House of Shells is a modern story of a girl, her school and family life, intertwined with traditional Nigerian legends and beliefs.

Kuki is dealing with a lot of changes in her life – her mum has just married again, she’s moved house and school and is expecting a baby brother or sister anytime soon. On top of that, her superstitious aunt keeps warning her that she needs to beware of the curse of the Abiku – spirit children – and protect herself from dying at a young age.

Kuki struggles to fit in and make friends at school. She often isolates herself from others, spending most of her time on her own. On her one attempt to make a friend, she becomes the ‘pet’ of the class bully so stops trying altogether after that.

This all changes one evening when Kuki finds a beautiful, deserted house hidden in the forest and meets a strange, mysterious and wild girl. They soon become the very best of friends, until Kuki realises her new friend holds a terrible and dark secret.

This is a wonderful adventure story which engages the reader from beginning to end.
I loved the fact the story was set in modern-day Nigeria, with cultural detail portrayed with detail and interest. It then weaves in Nigerian folk tales and myths, creating an additional layer of mystery and excitement.

Kuki is easy to identify with; her problems are similar to what many children will go through at different points in their lives.

A really enjoyable and engaging story, I would highly recommend it!

Publisher: Chicken House Books

Publication date: July 2022

3. Ember Shadows and the Fates of Mount Never

by Rebecca King & Rachel Ochoa

Reviewer: Esther Brown

Chapter book (8+)

Are you a believer in fate? What if before your 12th birthday you received a card with your destiny mapped out for you? Would you give up your dreams for your future self to follow what your fate card says?

Ember Shadows lives in a world perfectly balanced with everything planned and foreseen. But, when her fate card arrives completely blank and her beloved sister shows an untimely death, Ember, who dreams of being an inventor, gathers some of her more curious creations and braves Mount Never where the fates appear from, determined to both save her sister and find a fate for herself.

On the way she meets some strange characters and makes some wonderfully unique friends. Hans the clock hand and Florence the owl help guide Ember up the levels of the mountain as she faces many trials, including a bookish maze of riddles, the ‘messy middle’ and finally facing the Fateweaver to save the ‘threads of fate,’ the mountain and herself.

This is a fast-paced story with themes of friendship and family, destiny, being yourself, forging your own path and enjoying the messiness and unpredictability of life.

It’s a great example of a journey or quest narrative too and would make a great read-aloud in lower KS2.

Publisher: Hachette

Publication date: August 2022

4. Dadaji’s Paintbrush

By: Rashmi Sirdeshpande & Ruchi Mhasane

Reviewer: Gabby McConalogue

Picturebook (4+)

Dadaji’s Paintbrush is a bittersweet story of a young boy’s special relationship with his grandfather.

Set in a small village in India, Dadaji is a typical loving grandfather. He does everything with his grandson, especially art – teaching him to experiment and learn how to paint. Not only does he touch his family’s lives, but also the lives of the community around him, especially other children who come to learn how to paint as well.

When Dadaji dies, the boy feels intense grief, like the world has lost its colour and he cannot bear to touch the favourite paintbrush of his grandfather. But one day, a little girl knocks on the door and the boy begins to find meaning again and discover the importance of keeping his grandfather’s legacy alive.

This is a beautiful story that deals with a difficult subject in a gentle and understanding way. Many children (and adults) will identify with the boy’s feelings after the loss of his beloved grandfather and the story highlights the fact that it is the memories and keeping a loved one’s legacy alive that is so important during difficult times such as these. The beautiful Indian setting that will be unfamiliar to many readers highlights the universal experiences of love and loss, showing that no matter where you are, some human experiences unite us all.

The illustrations are simple and beautiful and I particularly liked how the colours linked with the main character’s emotions. This is a heart-warming, emotional story that tackles the difficult topics of grief and bereavement in a positive and delicate manner. I would particularly recommend this for children who have suffered a loss or have a friend who has suffered one, in order to help them understand their emotions and empathise with others.

Publisher: Andersen Press

Publication date: July 2022

Read more about the book in our Q&A with author Rashmi Sirdeshpande.

5. Hetty and the Battle of the Books

By Anna James & Jez Tuya

Reviewer: Julie

Short chapter book (7+)

The library is the heart of Hetty’s school; lots of clubs meet there and Hetty loves to help out. When she falls out with her best friends, Hetty finds herself spending even more time in the library. However, the safety that she finds in the library comes crashing down when her head teacher announces that the library is going to be closed. What can Hetty do to save the library? And will she need to mend friendships in order to get the help that she needs?

This is a Barrington Stoke book which features dyslexia-friendly formatting. It is quite short in length, and therefore accessible to children who find reading to be a challenge, but has a content level that older children in KS2 will still enjoy. Shorter chapters are broken up with illustrations, which help to make the book less threatening to struggling readers and the text is well-spaced and clear.

The theme of friendship running through the book could be a useful conversation starter in class; how misunderstandings can lead to problems within friendships and the need to talk to others rather than making assumptions. Teamwork also features heavily, showing that working together can help to solve problems and that everyone has something that they can bring to a team. Hetty is a very determined character and shows that even when something seems difficult to overcome, there are ways to deal with the situation. Another key theme is the community importance of libraries and the role that individuals can play in keeping libraries open, and fans of the Pages & Co series will be pleased to see the author’s passion for books shining through again in this standalone short story.

This would be a great book to use from year 4 upwards, especially for less-confident readers and those who find reading to be a challenge.

Publisher: Barrington Stoke

Publication date: July 2022

6. Spies

By David Long & Terri Po

Reviewer: Suzanne Booth

Non-Fiction (7+)

From Blue Peter Award-winning author David Long comes this epic treasury of spy stories from around the world. This beautifully illustrated collection is crammed full of the secrets from the world of spies, who have, unbeknown to us, saved countless lives in their undercover missions.

The variety of spy stories is utterly engaging, not knowing what adventures the next tale will reveal – from Margery Booth singing for Hitler to the revelation that child favourite author Roald Dahl has also dabbled in spying! There are twenty-seven different stories to explore.

For those studying World War Two, this book provides a new perspective to examine the human side of war. These are some of the most astounding stories disclosed, displaying daring and courageous acts to keep the country safe.

The unique illustrations by Terri Po are also a joy. The beautifully uncomplicated images that feel almost graphic with their simplicity are enhanced by the hand-drawn mark-making, adding textures and details. They are a wonderful feast for the eyes.

Before reading this book, my knowledge of spying was barely beyond the exploits of James Bond on the big screen! This book will open your eyes to what goes on and the reality of how important this job can be – something children will find utterly fascinating, especially when you think spying is happening all of the time and how a stealthy underworld of superhero warriors is saving the world one secret mission at a time.

Publisher: Faber

Publication date: June 2022

7. Key Player

By Kelly Yang

Reviewer: Esther Brown

Chapter book (9+)

If you’ve got a class of football fans, especially those inspired by the recent Women’s World Cup, then this is a book you need in your classroom.

Mia wants to attend a prestigious journalism camp but needs ‘A’ grades for entry. Her P.E. teacher has given her a C! However, if you have read any of the other books in the Front Desk series then you’ll be familiar with Mia Tang – determined, feisty, a fantastic friend and always aiming high to overcome any obstacles in her path. The Women’s World Cup is coming to California and she is determined to secure interviews with the teams to up her grade!

However, this is harder than it looks as the teams are secured in secret locations, and after trying every hotel in Pasadena she is still seeking the elusive players. Some quick thinking leads to an encounter with the Chinese women’s team and Mia lands not only her interview but a TV appearance translating for the team on a popular talk show. She is so inspired by the Chinese girls and what their fight, struggle and stories mean for the country and for girls everywhere, but faces pushback on this opinion from both her peers and teachers at school who deem it ‘un-American’ to support the USA’s rival team.

The story has many subplots and touches on so many issues – objectification of women over talent, sexuality, the way events and attitudes of the past can impact the future and the ethics of big corporations, to name a few.

However at the heart of the story is an exploration of culture, race, heritage and identity. It weaves through it the experience of Chinese immigrants in the USA, showing both casual and overt racism, stereotypes and the challenges they face in gaining the same opportunities as white American families. We see how these experiences affect Mia, her family and friends and also see Mia figuring out her Chinese-American heritage to find where she feels she belongs.

I wholeheartedly recommend this series to anyone looking to increase representation on their class bookshelves. As a whole class reader I can see it leading to some incredible discussions too.

Publisher: Knights Of

Publication date: Sept 2022

8. I am a Poetato

By John Hegley

Reviewer: Carol Carter

Poetry collection (7+)

‘I am a Poetato’ is a newly-issued paperback edition of John Hegley’s 2013 first poetry collection aimed squarely at children – ‘an A-Z of poems about people, pets and other creatures’.

Containing spadefuls of Hegley’s trademark deadpan humour, as well as unusual rhyme schemes and madcap themes, these poems cry out to be read aloud. But before you do, take a lesson from the master himself by watching a video of Hegley himself reading a classic such as ‘Guillemot’. And if you ever get the chance to see him perform live, grab it!

There is a wide range of poems here, some purely funny, but many edged with pathos. Nearly all are short, so perfect for a ‘5-minute filler’. Many open avenues for class discussion, such as ‘Youcan’ (the bird that says ‘Doo-it’ and helps get the difficult done).

The book is presented in a messy scrapbook style, with unusual spelling and punctuation, a wide range of fonts mixed with handwriting, splodges, doodles and lots of crossing out and additions. Combined with the scattergun approach to rhyme and the freeform structure of many of the poems, this makes the book as a whole seem very approachable and replicable – I can imagine many children being encouraged and inspired that poems do not have to be neat, ordered, box-shaped things, but are in fact within their grasp.

There are some poems in the collection that (while never inappropriate) seem more aimed at parents than children themselves, however overall this is a collection with a lot to offer all ages of poetry-lover.

Publisher: Otter Barry Books

Publication date: July 2022

9. Rex: Dinosaur in Disguise

By :Elys Dolan

Reviewer: Louise Buisson

Illustrated chapter book (6+)

This book is an adventure that will make children laugh while also making them think about the importance of friendship and acceptance.

Rex, who was frozen 65 million years ago, has defrosted and found himself in a city in the (extremely confusing) modern world. Luckily for him, he meets Bigfoot – who has been living incognito in the city for a number of years, cultivating and perfecting the lifestyle of a very ordinary and boring human. Mr Foot, along with Nessy (the Loch Ness Monster) and the last remaining dodo, helped by human clothes and cunningly placed glasses, have spent several successful years pulling the wool over the eyes of the general population and chiefly avoiding being sent to THE DREADED ZOO.

Now, however, their ruse is in danger of being exposed by Rex, who discovers that adopting the human lifestyle is rather challenging. He finds getting to grips with the concepts of talking like a human, shopping, only biting holes in food items (rather than doors and tennis racquets) and holding down a job extremely problematic.

However, Rex isn’t the only one having problems. Sandra, who lives in the flat below Mr Foot and Mr Rex, is a passionate investigator of unusual phenomena…and she knows something strange is going on upstairs! She finds herself being bullied by her former best friend and unable to get her parents’ attention as they cope with Sandra’s triplet baby brothers. Will Sandra solve the mystery of her unusual neighbours and, ultimately, can she save them from trouble?

Newly independent readers and fans of Claude or Rabbit and Bear will enjoy the colour-illustrated style and madcap capers of this humorous adventure from former Lollies Prize winner Elys Dolan.

Publisher: Walker

Publication date: June 2022

10. The Accidental Stowaway

By Judith Eagle & Kim Geyer

Reviewer: Natasha Kendrick

Chapter book (9+)

‘A giant boom split the air. Surely the ship wasn’t about to set sail?’ Poor Patch Leonard has been passed from distant family member to the next for as long as she can remember, after growing up without parents. Her solicitor, Mr Ringe, had finally found her a long-term place at the Liverpool Institute High School for Girls, when her next adventure starts involving a police chase, a roller skate and a passenger ship on the River Mersey.

Patch finds herself sailing as a stowaway, by accident, to New York and she befriends a Miss Lilian DeHaviland, who promises to help her stay hidden but in plain sight. Patch lives as a first-class passenger: she gets to meet other first-class passengers, dine in the saloon and explore the depths of the ship. It is all going so well, until she meets a famous stowaway and gets herself noticed by the Chief Steward…who starts to investigate her real identity leading to kidnap, fraud and lots of truths coming out.

This story screams adventure and mystery as soon as you start reading it. Patch, as a character, is relatable and you instantly want her to find a happy ending as you follow her story onboard the ship and discover some hidden truths about her past. As the story started to build, I was hooked into the story line and it was hard to put the book down at the end of each chapter.

I would recommend this book to children and adults who like an adventure or to try and solve a mystery as they read. Upper key stage 2 children would be most suited, and it would make a fantastic class novel, hooking its audience in.

Publisher: Faber

Publication date: August 2022