Back to previous page

Books beginning with: Y

• Yawn

  Author: Sally Symes Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
  Publisher: Walker Books
  

  This yawn is contagious. It starts with Sean and then is passed from animal to animal, until they all snuggle up to sleep. An ideal bedtime book, it’s impossible to read without yawning yourself!

• Yes

  Author: Jez Alborough
  Publisher: Walker Books
  Reading age: 4+

  When it's bath time for Bobo, the little chimp shouts a delighted 'YES'. But after much fun splashing with mum, when she announces it's time for bed, 'NO' comes the answer.

• Yes No

  Author: Jan Pieńkowski; lettering by Caroline Austin
  Publisher: Walker Books
  Reading age: N/A

  Yes/no, light/heavy, in/out, alive/dead: Jan Pieńkowski explores all manner of opposites in this bright and original book for toddlers, full of his trademark bright, thick-outlined illustration.

• Yes You Can, Cow!

  Author: Rashmi Sirdeshpande Illustrator: Rikin Parekh
  Publisher: Faber
  

  Rehearsals are under way for the big production of Hey Diddle Diddle, but Cow is not ready for the spotlight. A hilarious read aloud with a special message for little ones – the importance of peer encouragement, bravery and not fearing failure.

• Yes, No, Maybe So

  Author: Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed
  Publisher: Simon and Schuster
  Interest age: 12-14
  Reading age: 12+

  Jamie and Maya have different religions, but a local election in their home state of Georgia (USA) shows them they have everything in common as they fall in love while fighting for justice.

• Yesterday Crumb and the Storm in a Teacup

  Author: Andy Sagar
  Publisher: Orion
  Interest age: 9-12
  Reading age: 8+

  An enchanting, magical adventure with just a touch of darkness.

• Yeti and the Bird

  Author: Nadia Shireen
  Publisher: Jonathan Cape
  Interest age: 3-6
  Reading age: 6+

  Yeti is all alone in the forest: he is so big and scary that all the animals leave him alone. Then one day a funny little orange bird turns up

• Yo Ho Ho! A-Pirating We'll Go

  Author: Kaye Umansky Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
  Publisher: Puffin
  Reading age: 7+

  Nick Sharratt's bold, colourful, funny illustrations filled with detail and movement bring added life to this collection of pirate-related short poems.

• Yoga Babies

  Author: Fearne Cotton Illustrator: Sheena Dempsey
  Publisher: Andersen Press
  Interest age: 4-7
  Reading age: 5+

  For those that are new to yoga, TV celebrity Fearne Cotton’s charming picture book about the benefits of easy stretching for little ones might be just the inspiration needed for the start of a new family yoga practice, or just a cute story about everyday life.

• Yokki and the Parno Gry

  Author: Richard O’Neill and Katharine Quarmby Illustrator: Marieke Nelissen
  Publisher: Child’s Play
  Interest age: 4-6
  Reading age: 6+

  Yokki and his family are travellers. After a particularly poor harvest, Yokki raises people's spirits with his uplifting stories of a brighter future. This traditional Romani tale, with colourful illustrations, is full of hope and imagination.

• You Ain't Seen Nothing Yeti!

  Author: Steven Butler Illustrator: Steven Lenton
  Publisher: Simon and Schuster
  Interest age: 9-11
  Reading age: 8+

  Fairies, leprechauns, ghosts and others are arriving full of cheer at a magical hotel to celebrate Trogmanay, a summer festival where humans are not welcome. The second book of this series is full of laughs and fast-paced pandemonium.

• You and Me

  Author: Rachel Fuller
  Publisher: Child's Play
  Reading age: 4+

  Explore and talk about what will change when a new baby arrives

• You are a Champion

  Author: Marcus Rashford and Carl Anka
  Publisher: Macmillan
  Interest age: 9-11
  Reading age: 8+

  England footballer Marcus Rashford shares tips and advice that he's learned on his journey from being a football-mad kid in Manchester to a sports megastar and political activist, as well as how to handle issues of confidence and anxiety.

• You Are Awesome

  Author: Matthew Syed Illustrator: Toby Triumph
  Publisher: Wren & Rook
  Interest age: 10-16
  Reading age: 9+

  An accessible, funny self-help manual for pre-teens and teenagers, based on Carol Dweck’s growth mindset theory: how to train your mind and take a more positive, proactive attitude to life. 

• You Can Be a Superpup

  Author: Rosamund Lloyd Illustrator: Chris Dickason
  Publisher: Little Tiger
  Interest age: 2-4
  Reading age: 2-4

  Superpup is a superhero with one simple mission: to cheer everyone up with hugs. Bouncy rhyming text and punchy illustrations make this a fun read that is sure to end with lots of cuddles!

• You Can!

  Author: Alexandra Strick and Steve Antony
  Publisher: Otter-Barry Books
  

  Based on real children's own voices and messages (including young disabled people), You Can! is a fabulously inclusive picture book that reminds all children that they are valued individuals with a bright future. 

• You Can’t Eat a Princess

  Author: Gillian Rogerson Illustrator: Sarah McIntyre
  Publisher: Scholastic
  Interest age: 3-6
  Reading age: 5-7

  Fans of chocolate and space will adore this princess book with a twist, whose protagonist is very definitely at the centre of all the delicious action.

• You Can’t Scare a Princess

  Author: Gillian Rogerson Illustrator: Sarah McIntyre
  Publisher: Scholastic
  Interest age: 3-6
  Reading age: 5-7

  Princess Spaghetti is trying to teach her dad, the King, to rollerskate, when pirates sail into the Royal Moat. The second book in the series features the clever and brave princess outsmarting the adults yet again.

• You Can't Make Me Go To Witch School

  Author: Em Lynas Illustrator: Jamie Littler
  Publisher: Nosy Crow
  Interest age: 8+
  Reading age: 8+

  Dairy Wart must escape Toadspit Towers to perform her Bottom. But will Toadspit Towers let her go? A hilarious, magical story about making new friends and finding out who you really are.

• You Can't Take an Elephant on the Bus

  Author: Patricia Cleveland-Peck Illustrator: David Tazzyman
  Publisher: Bloomsbury
  Interest age: 3-6
  Reading age: 6+

  This wonderful picture book is filled with funny rhymes matched with irresistible illustrations.

• You Choose In Space

  Author: Pippa Goodhart Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
  Publisher: Puffin
  Interest age: 3-6
  Reading age: 5+

  You choose how this story unfolds, so a new adventure can be enjoyed each time of reading. A spectacular book to stimulate creative storytelling and language development, full of vibrant illustration. Not to be missed!

• You Choose!

  Author: Pippa Goodhart and Nick Sharratt
  Publisher: Picture Corgi
  Interest age: 3-7
  

  Create your own story with this brilliant interactive book full of detailed, colourful illustrations.

• You Don't Know Me

  Author: Sophia Bennett
  Publisher: Chicken House
  Interest age: 13+
  Reading age: 13+

  What happens if you betray your best friend in the finals of a TV talent show in front of millions of viewers?

• You Killed Me!

  Author: Keith Gray
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke Ltd
  Interest age: 12-15
  Reading age: 8+

  Toby wakes in the middle of the night and there's a ghost at the end of his bed. It's the ghost of a man with a hole in his head - a ghost claiming that Toby killed him.

• You Know Me Well

  Author: Nina LaCour & David Levithan
  Publisher: Macmillan
  Interest age: 12-16
  Reading age: 12+

  Mark and Kate have never spoken outside class - and little do they know how important they will become to each other. As well as being a wonderful book for LGBT representation, this honestly and hilariously celebrates first love and friendship.

• You Must Be Layla

  Author: Yassmin Abdel-Magied
  Publisher: Penguin
  Interest age: 9-12
  Reading age: 9+

  Layla's first week at her new school isn't going well - she's the only child there to wear a Muslim headscarf, and she's already been suspended for fighting back against a bully. Can Layla win the robotics competition and prove what she's made of? This laugh out loud story is about making friends, finding your way in the world, and is a great introduction to…

• You Smell! And So Does Everything Else

  Author: Clive Gifford Illustrator: Pete Gamlen
  Publisher: Laurence King
  Interest age: 6-8
  Reading age: 6+

  The bright and brilliant book is full of interesting facts and silly puns about our sense of smell - for example, did you know that some people sweat in colour and that without our sense of smell we wouldn't be able to taste anything? The energetic illustrations and text are perfectly pitched at the age where children are fascinated by poo, farts, and other …

• You Wait Till I’m Older Than You

  Author: Michael Rosen
  Publisher: Puffin
  Interest age: 7-11
  Reading age: 9+

  Drawing on his own life, Rosen gives us a variety of thoughtful and affecting short poems about people: friends and family, and the funny and sometimes sad times that we have with them. 

• You Will Be Okay

  Author: Julie Stokes Illustrator: Laurène Boglio
  Publisher: Wren & Rook (Hachette)
  Interest age: 9-11
  Reading age: 9+

  This gentle guide for children experiencing feelings of grief and loss is written by Julie Stokes, a clinical psychologist and founder of childhood bereavement charity Winston's Wish.

• You’re Not Here

  Author: Tariq Mehmood
  Publisher: Daraja Press
  Interest age: 13-18
  Reading age: 12+

  17-year-old Jake Marlesden's soldier brother has been killed while out in action in Afghanistan, and Jake is in love with Leila Khan, an Afghan girl. In Jake's English home town, tensions are rising between those who oppose the war in Afghanistan, and those who consider Muslims as traitors.

• You’re Not Proper

  Author: Tariq Mehmood
  Publisher: HopeRoad Publishing
  Interest age: 13-15
  Reading age: 13+

  A revealing and realistic portrait of the struggle many multi-cultured teenagers face today.

• You’re Snug with Me

  Author: Chitra Soundar Illustrator: Poonam Mistry
  Publisher: Lantana Publishing
  Interest age: 4-7
  Reading age: 5+

  Mama Polar Bear tells her cubs about what lies outside their den, and reassures them not to worry or be frightened: ‘hush now, you’re snug with me.’ Lyrical, thought-provoking and stylishly illustrated,with a subtle environmental message.

• You’ve Been Werewolfed

  Author: Tom McLaughlin
  Publisher: Oxford University Press
  Interest age: 9-11
  Reading age: 8+

  Tyler can’t wait for the summer holidays to start, until she discovers she's been enrolled by her dad at Happyville Summer Camp. Even more alarming is when, through a madcap series of events, she starts to morph into a werewolf. Hilarious stuff.

• Young Heroes: Inspirational Children from Around the World

  Author: Lula Bridgeport Illustrator: Federica Frenna / Isabel Munoz / Julianna Swaney
  Publisher: Stripes
  Interest age: 6-11
  Reading age: 7+

  This collection of remarkable young people’s achievements is truly inspirational. With a gentle guide to being a hero yourself at the back of the book, and a look back at great children of the past, these amazing young people give us all hope for the future.

• Young Houdini: The Magician's Fire

  Author: Simon Nicholson
  Publisher: OUP
  Interest age: 8+
  Reading age: 8

  Harry is a shoeshine boy in 19th century New York. He will grow up to be Houdini, the world famous magician.

• Young Knights of the Round Table

  Author: Julia Golding
  Publisher: Oxford University Press
  Interest age: 9+
  Reading age: 9+

  Together with plenty of humour, mystery, twists and turns, Young Knights of the Round Table is a fast-paced time-travelling fantasy.

• Young Merlin

  Author: Tony Bradman
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke
  Interest age: 8-10
  Reading age: 7+

  Merlin has always felt different from the other boys, because of his dreadful nightmares full of fighting and death.

• Young Samurai The Way of the Warrior

  Author: Chris Bradford
  Publisher: Puffin
  Interest age: 11+
  Reading age: 9+

  This engaging historical adventure story will immerse young readers in the traditions and culture of Ancient Japan, including its complex codes of loyalty and honour.

• Young Sherlock Holmes: Black Ice

  Author: Andrew Lane
  Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
  Interest age: 10+
  Reading age: 10+

  An exciting, fast-paced adventure, which paints a vivid picture of mid-nineteenth century Britain and Russia

• Young Sherlock Holmes: Death Cloud

  Author: Andrew Lane
  Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
  Interest age: 10-12
  Reading age: 11+

  14-year-old Sherlock is at boarding school, and like most of his fellow pupils, is looking forward to returning home for the summer holidays. He is dismayed then to find out that instead of going back to his parents in London he will have to stay with his strange uncle and aunt in their huge house in Hampshire.

• Young Sherlock Holmes: Snake Bite

  Author: Andrew Lane
  Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
  Interest age: 9-11
  Reading age: 10+

  In the fifth installment of this popular series, the young Sherlock Holmes embarks on a sea voyage to China and finds himself solving a mystery in Shanghai.

• Young Werewolf

  Author: Cornelia Funke Illustrator: David Roberts
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke
  Interest age: 7-9
  Reading age: 8+

  Young Werewolf is a well-pitched horror story just scary enough for younger readers - a great narrative with well-drawn characters both of children and grown-ups and a rich study of friendship.

• Young, Gifted and Black: Meet 52 Black Heroes from Past and Present

  Author: Jamia Wilson Illustrator: Andrea Pippins
  Publisher: Wide Eyed Editions
  Interest age: 8-11
  Reading age: 8+

  This beautiful and eye-catching hardback celebrates a selection of black icons from history and the present day to inspire all children to discover what they can achieve. 

• Your Baby’s First Word Will Be Dada

  Author: Jimmy Fallon Illustrator: Miguel Ordonez
  Publisher: Hodder Children’s
  

  One for competitive dads everywhere, this picture book is all about animal dads trying to make sure their offspring's first word is 'dada'. It will certainly get young children giggling and turning the pages.

• You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum!

  Author: Andy Stanton Illustrator: David Tazzyman
  Publisher: Farshore
  Reading age: 6+

  Mr Gum is an extremely nasty man who hates everyone and lives in a disgusting tip of a house.

• You're a Rude Pig, Bertie!

  Author: Claudia Boldt
  Publisher: Jonathan Cape
  Reading age: 6+

  Bertie is a rude pig. He insults all the other animals, whilst all the time thinking what a magnificent and beautiful piglet he is. Then he meets cute rabbit Ruby.

• You're A Star Lolo

  Author: Niki Daly
  Publisher: Otter-Barry Books
  Interest age: 6-8
  Reading age: 6+

  Set in South Africa, this lively collection of four short stories featuring a loveable, sparky heroine is perfect for young readers transitioning from picture books to more substantial texts.

• You're Not the Boss of Me!

  Author: Catherine Wilkins
  Publisher: Nosy Crow
  Interest age: 9-12
  Reading age: 9+

  When a group of boys refuse to let Amy get involved in the school comedy show, she's detemined to stand her ground! A laugh-out-loud story that introduces young readers to big ideas around sexism and feminism.

• You're Safe With Me

  Author: Chitra Soundar Illustrator: Poonam Mistry
  Publisher: Lantana Publishing
  

  This simple story will comfort little ones and its soothing text will lull them to sleep. Accompanied with incredibly stunning and intricate illustrations, this picture book would make a great addition to the bedtime routine.

• You're Strong With Me

  Author: Chitra Soundar
  Publisher: Lantana Publishing
  Interest age: 3-7
  

  Intricate illustrations show how a young giraffe is gently supported by her mother as she learns about the world in this reassuring story.

• Yours Sincerely, Giraffe

  Author: Megumi Iwasa Illustrator: Jun Takabatake Translator: Cathy Hirano
  Publisher: Gecko Press
  Interest age: 6-8
  Reading age: 6+

  Giraffe, who lives on the African savanna, is bored and lonely so decides to send a letter to an unknown animal on the other side of the horizon. The letter ends up with an inquisitive penguin who is studying at Whale Point School, almost completely surrounded by sea.

• Yucky Worms

  Author: Viv French Illustrator: Jessica Ahlberg
  Publisher: Walker Books
  Interest age: 6-7
  Reading age: 7+

  It's fun helping Gran in the garden, but her grandson is horrified by a worm: 'Yuck!... Throw it away.'