New children's books we love

Every month, we review dozens of books for children and teenagers. Here are the ones we like best in April: guaranteed to get your child reading…

Whether they’re a teeny toddler or a very particular teen, this is where you can find your child’s next amazing book: just scroll down to find books for a range of ages. 

We’ve sorted our favourite new books into rough age ranges, but this is just a guide and readers might find something they’ll love in a different category. 

All these books are available to order at Bookshop.org (affiliate link) – or why not borrow them from your local library? 

Fancy writing a book review yourself? Read our handy guide and have a go!

Best books for ages 0–2 and up

  • Happy Easter!

    by Priddy Books, illustrated by Charlotte Pepper 

    2026 0 to 5 years 

    • Board books
    • Touch and feel books
    • Interactive

    Join Easter Bunny as he delivers eggs! With soft, felt edges and colours, animals and vehicles to discuss, this book is ideal for busy little hands. 

  • Spot Goes to the Farm

    by Eric Hill 

    2026 0 to 5 years 

    • Board books
    • Interactive
    • Early Learning

    Join Spot as he searches for baby animals on the farm. Lift the flaps to find the animals.

  • Not Sleepy

    by Mama Makes Books, illustrated by Paula Bowles 

    2026 0 to 4 years 

    • Board books

    This very sweet board book will make the bedtime routine fun for all little dinosaurs! Includes surprise pop-ups and a flap to lift. Perfect for babies and toddlers.

Best books for ages 3–5 and up

  • The Chase

    Author-Illustrator Jenny Bloomfield 

    2026 3 to 7 years 

    • Adventure
    • Picture books

    A woman throws a ball for her dog on the beach, which becomes a long and excitable chase through town and countryside with an ever-increasing crowd of dogs. 

  • Being the Biggest

    by Molly Mead, illustrated by Antonia Woodward 

    2026 3 to 5 years 

    • Picture books

    Mead and Woodward’s adorable, poignant and heart-warming book about how older siblings feel when a new baby arrives is as warm and comforting as a blanket, understanding that while it’s lovely to be the biggest, little ones are still little and need lots of support. 

  • Super Uma

    by Rashmi Sirdeshpande, illustrated by Nakul P 

    2026 3 to 7 years 

    • Picture books
    • Neurodiversity

    When Super Uma notices that her usually vibrant city is losing its sparkle, she sets out to find out why. While she tries to solve the mystery with her Nani and unicorn sidekick, she learns the importance of empathy and accessibility. 

  • Monkeypig

    Author-Illustrator Huw Aaron 

    2026 3 to 7 years 

    • Picture books
    • Funny

    Molly lives with all the other monkeys in the jungle, but Molly has a secret: she’s a pig. A picture book with a message about difference and inclusion. 

  • Solo

    Author-Illustrator Neil Clark 

    2026 3 to 7 years 

    • Picture books

    Neil Clark’s delightful, colourful, screen-printed picture book reminds young readers that we can all have introverted and extroverted moments, and that when we want some soothing alone time, it’s perfectly okay. 

  • I’m (Mostly) Happy Being Me

    by Anna Milbourne, illustrated by Åsa Gilland 

    2026 3 to 7 years 

    • Picture books

    Everyone’s good at something, but what am I good at? A gentle story that will echo young children’s worries, while providing reassurance. A joyous celebration of individuality.

Best books for ages 5–8 and up

  • How Things Grow

    by Harriet Evans, illustrated by Benjamin Flouw 

    2026 4 to 7 years 

    • Board books
    • Interactive
    • Non-fiction

    What came first, the chicken or the egg? Find out once and for all in this fascinating book as you explore the life cycles of seven plants and animals through interactive flaps and wheel mechanisms. 

  • Disaster Diaries: The Worst Holiday Ever

    by Joanna Nadin, illustrated by Rikin Parekh 

    2026 7 to 11 years 

    • Adventure
    • Chapter books
    • Diaries and journals
    • Diversity and inclusion
    • Funny

    Daffodil struggles to look on the bright side when Dad’s holiday surprise turns out to be a dreary caravan park in the middle of nowhere. Bursting with wry humour and witty illustrations, readers will laugh out loud at the Patterson family’s hilarious holiday exploits. 

  • Sorry, Sammy

    by Scott Rothman, illustrated by Tom Tinn-Disbury 

    2026 4 to 7 years 

    • Funny
    • Picture books

    Sammy created a robot and it … went a bit rogue. Will Mum ever let him out of his room? And can the humans stop the robots? A very funny story told in letter form, great for primary-aged children.

  • Myths, Gods and Gladiators in Ancient Rome

    by Stephen Davies, illustrated by Laurie Avon 

    2026 7 to 11 years 

    • Funny
    • Historical
    • Myths and legends
    • Non-fiction

    Immerse yourself in the history and mythology of the Ancient Romans in this wonderfully funny and informative comic-strip format non-fiction book.

  • Fairytale Fiasco: Hansel and Gretel

    by Evgenia Golubeva, illustrated by Myles McLeod 

    2026 5 to 7 years 

    • Adventure
    • Chapter books
    • Fairy tale
    • Fantasy
    • Funny

    This contemporary twist on the traditional fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel is full of silliness and humour. With short chapters and colourful illustrations, it is perfect for early readers. 

  • What’s the Weirdest Thing About Animals?

    by Edward Brooke-Hitching, illustrated by Jez Tuya 

    2026 7 to 11 years 

    • Around the world
    • Non-fiction

    Hugely entertaining and packed full of quirky, fascinating and sometimes revolting animal facts, this non-fiction book is sure to be a big hit with junior readers. 

  • Where Are You, Eddie?

    by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Gill Smith 

    2026 4 to 9 years 

    • Picture books

    This deeply moving companion book to Michael Rosen’s Sad Book explores the power of memory when dealing with grief and loss with Rosen’s inimitable warmth, simplicity and directness. 

  • Jake in the Middle

    by Michael Catchpool, illustrated by Shanarama 

    2026 5 to 9 years 

    • Adventure
    • Chapter books
    • Funny

    Follow the everyday adventures of Jake, the middle child in a loving Black British family. This illustrated chapter book contains four interconnected stories and is ideal for children transitioning to independent reading. 

  • I Tell Myself I’m Awesome

    by Joshua Seigal, illustrated by Chris Piascik 

    2026 7 to 11 years 

    • Funny
    • Poetry and rhyme

    All sorts of emotions are explored in this poetry collection, along with playful poetic forms, pleasing rhymes and stretch vocabulary’ to entertain and even challenge your mind. Ideal to share with a class.

  • Tiny Hercules

    by Jon Lock, illustrated by Nich Angell 

    2026 7 to 11 years 

    • Funny
    • Graphic novels
    • Myths and legends

    Tiny Hercules has been banished to the human world – can Jeff help him in his epic quest to defeat a lion? Brilliant, action-packed fun with laugh-out-loud moments. 

  • The World’s Last Mammoth

    by Mike Barfield, illustrated by Franziska Höllbacher 

    2026 7 to 11 years 

    • Funny
    • Historical
    • Myths and legends
    • Non-fiction

    Dive into some of history’s most peculiar mysteries and missing marvels in this hilarious, comic strip non-fiction book. 

Best books for ages 9–11 and up

  • The House with Chicken Legs Runs Away

    by Sophie Anderson 

    2026 9 to 14 years 

    • Adventure
    • Coming-of-age
    • Fantasy
    • Myths and legends

    Marinka lives in a house with chicken legs that guides the dead through the Gate to the stars. When something goes wrong with the Gate, the house runs away and Marinka must embark on an epic adventure to protect the word of the living.

  • Alex Abbott is [Un]Dead

    by Louise Austin, illustrated by Katie Kear 

    2026 9 to 14 years 

    • Adventure
    • Around the world
    • Diaries and journals
    • Fantasy
    • Funny

    If Alex hadn’t climbed the fence to get the football back, it would never have happened. He wouldn’t have died and wouldn’t have been made undead by a 250-year-old vampire. 

  • Boy vs Reality

    by James Fox 

    2026 9 to 14 years 

    • Coming-of-age

    Part cautionary tale and part punchy, coming-of-age story, Boy vs Realiy exposes the pressure an online presence can bring and how badly it can sometimes warp life in the real world. 

  • Entangled

    by Emma Rea 

    2026 9 to 11 years 

    • Adventure
    • Around the world
    • Disability

    An unusual kidnapping, a diverse cast and a Venetian backdrop combine to create a readable mystery adventure. 

  • Silverbrook: Yumna and the Golden Horse

    by Yassmin Abdel-Magied 

    2026 9 to 14 years 

    • Adventure
    • Fantasy
    • Diversity and inclusion

    When Yumna discovers that her friends have powers, she thinks that’s the biggest shock she’ll have. Until a friend vanishes when a new family comes to town… 

  • Spyglass: Mastermind of Mayhem

    by David Solomons, illustrated by Miguel Diaz Rivas 

    2026 9 to 14 years 

    • Adventure
    • Crime
    • Funny

    With all the excitement of a James Bond movie, this madcap adventure races along and is hard to put down. Packed with puns and outlandish gadgets this is hilarious, thrilling fun. 

Best books for age 12 and up

  • Piper at the Gates of Dusk

    by Patrick Ness 

    2026 11 to 14 years 

    • Dystopia
    • Adventure
    • Science fiction

    Brothers Ben and Max grapple with disturbing arrivals on their planet that could have devastating consequences. Set 20 years after the bestselling Chaos Walking trilogy, this is a gripping dystopian sci-fi story exploring identity, family, fear of the other’ and what it means to be human. 

  • Always Angel

    by Kimberly Whittam 

    2026 9 to 14 years 

    • Coming-of-age
    • Diversity and inclusion

    Angel doesn’t want to be bad. But everyone assumes she is. A gripping book about how easy it is to be misunderstood. Readable and real.

  • Endgame

    by Melinda Salisbury 

    2026 11 to 14 years 

    • Crime
    • Thriller
    • Dyslexia

    Endgame is the culmination of three previous books exploring the potential misuse of AI and other technologies: Echostar, AdelAIDE, and The Foundation. It can be read as a stand-alone story, but will be most appreciated by those who have read at least one of the preceding books. Dyslexia-friendly. 

BookTrust Northern Ireland Book of the Month

Brilliant book by a creator from NI or the Republic of Ireland

  • The Flying Feminist

    by Mary Boone, illustrated by Andrea Turk 

    2026 5 to 9 years 

    • Historical
    • Non-fiction
    • Picture books

    A wonderfully illustrated and inspiring picture book about Lilian Bland, the first woman in the world to build and fly an aeroplane. 

BookTrust Cymru Book of the Month

Brilliant book by a Welsh creator or adapted into Welsh

  • The Candleman

    by Catherine Fisher 

    2026 11 to 14 years 

    • Fantasy
    • Mystery
    • Myths and legends

    Catherine Fisher’s classic tale of magic, courage and music is set on the eerie Gwent levels, where the mists rise from the waterlogged fields, and no one is safe from the vengeance of the river. 

Explore some of our previous favourites

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