Books we loved in February 2026

Watch the dinosaurs turn into emergency vehicles when you pull the tabs! Perfect for busy little fingers.

Ant is sure this book is only big enough for one, but then two lions appear, and three crocodiles. Before long, the pages are full of animals in this fun counting book for young children.

It’s bedtime for all the little diggers, cars, dumper trucks, buses, helicopters and planes: but will the little yellow digger manage to get to bed on time? A lovely transport-themed rhyming bedtime book.

Duck is playing ball in the park but the ball bounces away! So begins an epic chase through the park with lots of animal friends joining in. 

Logan’s dragon is afraid of the dark. Can they reach the lights and fireworks of the Lunar New Year celebrations? A delightful story about facing childhood fears one step at a time. 

A picture book about a girl who moves to a new country and uses the power of maps to remind her of her connections and to help her feel at home in her new environment. 

Tad kicks Vlad, then Vlad kicks Bill, Bill kicks Jill, and so it goes on… till the kick goes round the world! How can Tad make it stop? A very funny, subversive book about breaking the cycle of violence.

Dassu and Tariq’s bright and cheerful book about a child’s experience of an important month in the Islamic calendar explains what the practice of fasting looks like for all the family, who is exempt and why fasting is important. 

Mucha and Boutavant’s hilarious fairy tale-themed picture book is partly a Goldilocks retelling and partly a humorous tale about demanding friends, but it’s also an homage to book lovers and the love of reading. 

A sweet, quirky and affectionate story about brothers and learning to give your sibling space sometimes. 

Can Postman Planet (secretly a 9‑year-old boy) and Stamp, part-robot part-dog, save the day? Packed with funny action, short chapters and brilliant pictures.

A lively collection of short poems, aimed at readers who are daunted by longer poems, or who have English as a second language. 

Meet Kid Potato and his pals Chomp and Raven as they plunge headlong into absurd adventures, from befriending an alien to escaping from an out-of-control robotic toilet. Five stories are rolled into this one, hilarious book, which is bursting with boisterous illustrations.

Superhero koalas, Bob and Archie, put their newly acquired powers to the test when they embark on their first mission: to protect Pawtonia from the evil clutches of supervillain ostrich, Dr Colossus. A wonderfully witty new series of illustrated chapter books for junior readers. 

Oleg’s ambition is to become an awesome internet sensation, so he’s thrilled when Mum buys him a new camera. However, the device seems to have a mind of its own, and when Dino Mode is activated, Oleg’s camping trip is thrown into utter chaos. 

Ten-year-old Hari Kumar is autistic, has ADHD and dreams of becoming a Bollywood superstar. He’s determined to win the school film competition, even if new boy Cameron keeps stealing all the limelight. Written as a journal and featuring fun, doodle-like drawings, this tale is full of warmth and humour. 

A group of friends are transformed into bizarre heroes during a magical storm. Now, the gang must survive the dangers of Snot Jelly Island to save the day. A hilarious graphic novel from Olaf Falafel.

A beautifully illustrated book, perfect for curious kids who are interested in archaeology or dinosaurs.

Zubair can time travel! But can he fix his family’s problems without unintended consequences? A funny, exciting, moving story that many readers will relate to. 

As a Girl Guide, fourteen-year-old Phyl is recruited by the War Office in 1915 to pass on messages. And when an MO5 officer goes missing, the Guides investigate by themselves… Thrilling, with fascinating WWI detail. 

With a classic feel and a cosy setting, this intriguing whodunnit has just the right balance of jeopardy and mystery for readers aged 9–11 years. 

Written in the first person, and with much of the action happening in real time over just a few hours, there is an immediacy and urgency to this nail-biting thriller that will sweep readers along like the avalanche of the title. 

A superbly crafted, edge-of-seat, sci-fi thriller that also asks important ethical and moral questions about what it means to be human, giving readers plenty to think about long after they finish the book. 

‘You are complete just as you are.’ This is a no-nonsense, helpful guide that will enable mixed-race children to explore the different parts of their heritage, and celebrates their identity.

A wonderful family saga set in World War II. The book tells the story of three sisters Lydia, Peggy and Teddy in three distinct sections. 

A highly illustrated werewolf adventure story set in Moonhaven, a world a bit like ours but where werewolves exist! 

A school talent show, a celebrity guest, a poisoned drama teacher, and a mystery to be unravelled by you the reader. Choose your own path to the truth in this interactive, illustrated mystery book.

Jack defeats Death itself to save his mum’s life. But in a world with no Death, can anyone truly live? This engaging, dyslexia-friendly book is highly accessible for older children with a younger reading age.