Publisher: Faber & Faber

Dave Pigeon (Kittens!)

Chapter book

Dave Pigeon is back and this time he and his pigeon pals are outnumbered by Kittens! This series is perfect for children who enjoy funny books.

When Aunty’s Cat comes to stay, Dave realises that their old nemesis Mean Cat is not the only feline to fear. With Mean Cat acting strangely, Dave and his pal Skipper find themselves facing new responsibilities and a new-found respect for Mean Cat as they team up to solve a multiplication problem and rid themselves of their new enemy.

Dave Pigeon is a hugely likeable character, whose hilarious facial expressions are a real credit to the illustrator Sheena Dempsey. This book, with its speech bubbles, illustrations and manageable chapters, will appeal to children wanting to build independence with their reading. Dave, our feathered friend, once again delivers on laughs, keeping children wanting to read on to find out if pigeons and cats can ever really be friends.

Blanksy the Street Cat

Allen Fatimaharan & Gavin Puckett

Chapter book

This is a fabulous short chapter book for all ages. It has superb black and white drawings and has been longlisted for the Alligator’s Mouth Award for highly-illustrated young chapter books. It is written in rhyme and has a lovely sing-song rhythm – perfect for reading aloud to children, plus the well-spaced lines and clear front make this dyslexia-friendly.

It tells us the story of Pete, a busker, singing songs on the street for the sheer joy of the music and making people smile. Whilst busking, he is soon joined by a cat and the two become inseparable, except when Pete goes for ‘a poo or a wee’ – children will love that bit! Pete doesn’t seem to be bothered that crowds pass by with scarcely a glance, always glued to their phones, but the cat is disheartened and devises a plan to encourage people to stop. Blanksy is created (with an obvious nod to Banksy) and life changes forever.

This has some thoughtful messages about the power of the internet and how things can ‘go viral’. There are mentions of TikTok, Instagram and Twitter (now X), so the book feels very current. It could inspire some interesting conversations as to whether fame is worth it too.

There is some lovely humour: I loved to see Marks & Spencer rhymed with money dispenser, and a passer-by giving the two buskers some raw broccoli – the drawing of the cat’s face is brilliant!

Alyssa and the Spell Garden

Alexandra Sheppard & Bex Glendining

Chapter book

Alyssa must save the magical spell garden with her new unreliable powers.

When 11-year-old Alyssa is forced to spend the summer holiday with her mum’s family, who she’s never met before, her latent magical powers explode into life. Her great aunt runs a secret magic school in her spell garden where local kids can hone their power. The garden grows magical spell ingredients that have protected their family and the wider neighbourhood for decades – ever since they arrived from Jamaica with their mother Effie in the 1960s. But something is going wrong and the magic is running out! Can Alyssa use her new, unpredictable magic to set things right?

A contemporary fantasy set in a small community in North London facing eviction and gentrification with a magical garden at the centre of it. Stunningly illustrated by Bex Glendining.

Peng and Spanners

Steve Webb

Graphic novel

This graphic novel is based on a very silly story and one that will go down a treat! Firstly, it’s about pizza – always a popular topic with children! Secondly, it stars two likeable, somewhat barmy characters (the good guys) and several creepy, villainous ones.

Its comic strip style is super appealing and colourful and the story is crammed with jokes and high jinks. The storyline is interesting (read fun, surprising, wacky, and inventive) and there’s a drawing tutorial at the end. Readers will be pleased to see the promise of future Peng and Spanners books.

This book will fly off the graphic novel shelf and is perfect for fans of the Investigators and Sparks in KS1 and KS2.

There’s a Tiger on the Train

Mariesa Dulak & Rebecca Cobb

Picturebook

This is a really good book to read to your little one, or to the whole class. It is written mainly in rhymes and the illustrations bring the story to life. The message about the dad being too busy on his mobile phone to take any notice of his son is also topical. On a train journey to the seaside, the dad and little boy are joined by all sorts of animals that the boy is fascinated by – and the dad does not notice! This leads to a fun adventure with the boy and the tiger. This is a story about connection and imagination, and there’s a message for adults too, here – don’t miss those early years of fun with your child!

For more information and ideas for using the book with children, check out author Mariesa Dulak’s guest post on the BooksForTopics blog.

Frank the Unicorn Alpaca

Gavin Puckett & India Joseph

Poetry

You should not judge a book by its cover, however in this case, the vibrant colours and hilarious picture of the alpaca with an ice cream on top of his head and his wings is a perfect picture to grab an early reader’s attention whilst also having a high quality text to enjoy.

When reading aloud, it gave lots of giggles and on every page were fun illustrations and pictures which helped with understanding the story and in bringing it to life for the reader. It was fun reading the book aloud as each line rhymes throughout and as soon as I finished this book, the request was to read it immediately again!

It has a strong message about accepting oneself and celebrating who you are. It would be an excellent addition to a KS1 reading corner and also to be enjoyed being read aloud from Early Years; it is the perfect book to read aloud or for readers who are beginning to read early chapter books.

How Do Meerkats Order Pizza?

Brooke Barker

Non-fiction

Have you ever wondered how to pet a yeti crab or whether dogs can tell if you’re smiling? This book answers these questions and so many more that inquisitive minds may be pondering.

‘How do meerkats order pizza? ’is a brilliant book full of funny and fascinating facts about different animals around the world and the scientists who study them. Presented in a fun mix of comic book style images, illustrations, colours and fact boxes, this is a perfect read for any animal fan or science enthusiast. This book provided many giggles and ‘did you know’ conversations after reading.

The colourful map in the opening pages acts as a contents page to help readers navigate their way through the text. With a diverse group of scientists and a multitude of animals covered, this book would complement learning in science lessons. Ideally suited for KS2 children to read independently, the bite-size chunks of text and high ratio of illustrated elements make it an easy read and will appeal to children who don’t enjoy the heavier blocks of text found in many non-fiction books for this age group.

The Glorious Race of Magical Beasts

Alex Bell & Tim McDonagh

Chapter book

The Glorious Race of Magical Beasts is an absolutely spellbinding read for anyone who loves adventure, magic and unlikely friendships.

The story begins with Eli, a book-loving introvert, who works at the Royal Library. As the story unveils, we learn that our hero, the unassuming underdog, has more to the eye than it seems.

There is not one page in this story that isn’t filled with the most spectacular imagination! For a start, you can’t help but fall in love with Eli’s sidekick, a moon turtle called Humphrey, who loves nothing more than a poem and an easy life. Needless to say, they embark on an adventure which couldn’t be further from the ordinary. Before they died, Eli’s parents were famous for entering and winning The Race of Magical Beasts, which is renowned for its danger and cunning contestants. After a recent discovery, Eli is left with no choice but to risk everything to enter the race himself and win the iconic prize. Will he be able to show people that a ‘bookish boy with a briefcase can achieve remarkable things’?

Bell’s imagination and incredible story-telling will leave any reader in awe. From fictional characters who have been transported from the pages of books to ships with pulsating tentacles, there is plenty to keep the reader turning pages. I loved every word on every single page, particularly the heart-warming friendships built throughout! This story is a triumph in every sense.

Merry Whatmas?

Eoin McLaughlin

Picturebook

This is a delightful tale of two characters, Tortoise and Hedgehog who are experiencing their first Christmas and who do not know what Christmas is. Many children will be familiar with the characters from the story ‘The Hug’ and other stories in this series and will welcome their familiarness. Exploring what Christmas is all about will resonate with younger children – the excitement of presents, food and decorations all feature.

There is opportunity for some more in-depth discussion with children about each of the aspects of Christmas shared by the other animals in the story – for example, Fox’s focus on presents that are all for him and the story climax of the importance of being with those we love.

The illustrations invite children to look closely at each page – particularly to pick out the little white mouse, who has his own particular excitement and engagement with the trappings of Christmas. Children will enjoy retelling the story from the pictures, developing the detail of the story that is not in the main text but found in the illustrations. This is a super addition to any early years class collection, a lovely book to read aloud at school or at home.

Santa’s New Reindeer

Caroline Crowe & Jess Pauwels

Picturebook

Santa needs a new reindeer in this third hilarious Christmas must-have picture book, from the duo who brought you Santa’s New Beard and Santa’s New Sleigh!

One week to go ’till Christmas Day,
The final touches underway,
A ribbon here, a flourish there,
And presents piled up everywhere.

Santa smiled. ‘What could go wrong?’
He didn’t have to wait too long . . .
Out of the sky a whirling blur,
Of antlers, legs and soft brown fur,

Came crashing through the workshop roof,
And that’s how Rudolph sprained his hoof . . .

Oh no! Another Christmas disaster! The sleigh can’t fly without Rudolph. Luckily, head engineer Lizzie is on hand to help . . . introducing ROBO-REINDEER! Christmas is saved once more.