The best children's books of 2024

A perfect introduction to the classic story for babies and toddlers, this chunky board book features soft fabric flaps on every page. Little ones will love discovering what’s hiding under each flap, while the bright, bold illustrations will keep them enthralled by the story again and again.

Little Monkey has lost his mum! Will Butterfly help him find her? With a short, simple rhyming text based on the original story, this is the perfect introduction for preschoolers to Monkey Puzzle by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, and a great gift for fans of the bestselling picture book.

Lift the soft, felt flaps to meet the cute springtime animals and find out which is the loveliest. Will it be the little poodle, baby bunny or tiny frog? An adorably illustrated board book for babies and toddlers with a surprise mirror ending, Who’s Lovley? will be read and enjoyed time and again. 

Where is Dot hiding? Toddlers will love finding out in this interactive hide-and-seek book with tabs to push and pull and eye-catching neon details.

Vina is known for her smile; her mum says that sharing it is the best gift she can give. But the day she starts her new school, Vina finds that her smile has mysteriously vanished. As she searches for it all over the school, she learns that sometimes happiness is found in the most unexpected places. With its message of positivity, this book from Dame Floella Benjamin offers a great starting point to help young children to talk about their feelings. 

Dive under the sea with this reimagined interactive edition of the best-loved fairy tale, The Little Mermaid. This board book’s push, pull and turn mechanisms give little hands many surprises to discover as they follow the underwater adventures. Nneka Myers’ bright, bold illustrations of the little mermaid, the prince, the sea witch and many more favourite characters will enchant babies and toddlers as you read the story together. 

A fun touch-and-feel mini-beasts story from Rod Campbell, creator of the preschool lift-the-flap classic, Dear Zoo. Join in the fun by touching a scritchy-scratchy grasshopper, a shiny beetle and even a slimy snail in I'm Not Scary!, an interactive touch-and-feel book, packed full of favourite bugs and minibeasts. But will you be brave enough to touch all the creatures? 

As one of the world’s best-selling children’s authors, Julia Donaldson has met thousands of young readers and her new book stars just some of the children she has met! Set in a magical bookshop, Julia Donaldson's Book of Names celebrates diversity and the joy found within a book’s pages. Young readers will love trying to spot their name amongst the pages or adding it to the dedicated space in the book.

Take a trip to the farm with this brand-new interactive book from Dear Zoo creator, Rod Campbell. With six farm animals that pop out in every spread, fun facts and bright, bold illustrations, My Stand Up Farm Animals captures all the fun of a visit to the farm. Little ones will love naming the animals and bringing them to life as you read the story and discover creatures on every page. 

Meet Rob and Kevin. They have lots of other friends, but Rob always has Kevin, and Kevin always has Rob. When their teacher asks the class to think of their hero, Kevin knows exactly who to pick: the captain of the Roaring Bears rugby team!. But before long, Rob and Kevin start to realise that perhaps being a hero isn't all about strength and muscles. Try, from rugby legends Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield is an irresistibly big-hearted picture book about a friendship between two young boys.

Meet Penguin: he's thoughtful, kind and loyal. He can be a bit cautious with new things, and he’s very sensible. Pup, on the other hand, is a fun-loving whirlwind! She always thinks big and sometimes gets a bit carried away. . . All Penguin wants is a perfectly sized chocolate egg to enjoy in the garden. Pup, on the other hand, is thinking: why stop there? What about a ROCKET EGG, or an EGGSHELL PIRATE SHIP? It's a recipe for disaster, and LOTS of laughter.

Learn all about one of Britain’s most beloved native animals in I Am Hattie the Hare, a heartwarming rhyming picture book from poet Pam Ayres. As Hattie leaps from meadows to moorland, farms to fields, Ayres weaves the tale of how this majestic mammal found its way to Britain. From what they eat, to where they sleep to how to tell them apart from rabbits, young nature lovers will learn fascinating facts about brown hares as they enjoy Hattie’s story. 

Learn how to count forwards and backwards to ten with the excitable dragons in Ten Red Bottoms, a hilarious picture book that will make counting fun. Inspired by the nursery rhyme, Ten Green Bottles, join the excitable little dragons in the castle as they chomp, chew, learn to breathe fire and fly, causing all kinds of mischief and mayhem. Learning early counting skills has never been so much fun! 

Verbs, also known as action words, can be hard to get the hang of, and nobody understands the struggle better than the young child in Wiggling Words. Skip, trip, fumble and fall with them as they discover that even though words can be tricky, they can be fun too! This is a great book to share with children with dyslexia and other neurodivergence to encourage problem-solving and build confidence.

Help find all the animals on the farm in this colourful, tactile interactive board book illustrated by Axel Scheffler. Hide and Seek On the Farm has over 30 sturdy flaps to lift, holes for little ones to peep through, and a fun rhyming story which will help children learn the names of all different farm animals. How many different animals can you spot? 

All aboard for an exciting day by the sea! Help Frog and his friends pack their sunhats, buckets and spades, then head to Acorn Wood station to board the special steam train to the beach. With sturdy flaps on every spread and rhyming stories, Frog's Day Out joins the bestselling Tales from Acorn Wood which have been delighting parents and children for over twenty years.

People don’t always understand the boy with long hair. But he knows that his hair is a part of who he is and who he can be. It can be as long as a river, as steep as a waterfall and as fierce as a tempest. It's a drawbridge to rescue a Prince, and a rope to escape from a dragon! My Hair is as Long as a River is a joyful celebration of being proud of who you are.

Take a stroll into the Hundred Acre Wood with this enchanting new Winnie-the-Pooh story. Inspired by A. A. Milne’s classic poem, ‘Us Two’ and featuring best-loved characters such as Christopher Robin, Piglet and Tigger too, this new story by Jeanne Willis has all of the magic of the world of Winnie-the-Pooh. With a rhyming story about the joy of friendship and new illustrations by Mark Burgess, Winnie-the-Pooh and Me would make a wonderful gift for young fans of the honey-loving bear.

It's time to walk to school and mum wants the children to get there on time. But what Mum doesn't realise is that the hill is in fact the tummy of a sleeping giant and it's important to tread carefully when the floor turns to lava! It's just as well Mum has these two Brave Explorers with her. A charming, relatable and beautifully illustrated story that's full of fun: recognisable to children and their grown-ups everywhere!

Meet Evie. Evie loves bugs, and they love her. She loves them so much that one day, she brings her favourite outdoor creatures inside so she can spend even more time with them. When the whole family, including her fearsome Great Gran come to stay, Evie’s bugs escape, with hilarious consequences! A big-hearted book about family and following your dreams, this is a fantastic story to read with nature-loving little ones.

Meet four mucky birds in need of a bath! They’ve got soap, shampoo and a BIG bottle of bubble bath, but can they be trusted not to use it all? And will they keep the water inside the bath? And how many birds can you fit in the tub? Explore the joys of bath time with Bird Bath, a funny, positive and utterly relatable look at a key moment in any child’s daily routine. Perfect for all preschoolers, grubby or otherwise, and their parents too.

When a little boy visits his friend Dan’s house, he meets his fascinating neighbours, including a cook, a pirate and a ghost. In this story we join the little boy and meet the characters on Dan’s street. A fun lift-the-flap book that will help younger children to explore the world around them, Who Lives Here? is the new story from bestselling author and illustrator partnership Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb. 

Everyone knows no one in the animal kingdom is faster than a cheetah . . . until now! A hilarious new picture book for babies and toddlers, There’s Nothing Faster Than a Cheetah will have the whole family giggling as they follow the jungle race and see if the crafty creatures can outsmart and beat the cheetah. Written by Tom Nicoll and illustrated by Ross Collins, this fun rhyming story is sure to become a family favourite. 

Celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Moomins with this beautiful pop-up book based on Tove Jansson's first ever Moomin story. Travel with the Moomins through five amazing pop-up scenes, including a dark forest, enchanted garden and stormy seas. Will the Moomin family find Moominpappa and settle into a new home before winter comes?

Mr Peacock is so busy in his jewellery shop that he needs an apprentice. So when a young chicken applies for the job, he decides to give her a shot. As the weeks pass, the chicken makes a huge mistake, and the poor jeweller finds himself with a dilemma to solve. Will the apprentice tell the truth and right her wrongs? A moral tale about the importance of honesty, The Jeweller’s Apprentice is a brand new story from the illustrator of The Gruffalo, Axel Scheffler. 

Astrid Atomic and her best friends, the Space Cadets, have been given an important mission from the Chief – to retrieve the special trophy for the Supersonic Saturn Race. But things go from bad to worse when they realize that the naughty Dr Boris Uranus on their tail. Will they get to the trophy before time runs out? Don't miss Astrid and the gang's first adventure in Astrid and the Space Cadets: Attack of the Snailiens!

The world’s most incredible Treehouse is back –– and it's even taller this time! Join Andy and Terry as they explore thirteen new levels, jam-packed with everything they need for more fun-filled adventures. There’s a Santa Land with Christmas cheer, an exceedingly noisy level, and even a hall of mysterious mirrors! When Andy, Terry and Jill discover that their evil doppelgangers are trapped inside the mirrors, they must stop them from escaping and causing havoc. If you’re looking for even more Treehouse fun, take a look at this brand new colour edition of the book that started it all, The 13-Storey Treehouse.

A beautiful celebration of the wonder of nature, Wild Child is the new book from author of Diary of a Young Naturalist, Dana McAnulty. With five sections, each focusing on a different habitat, facts about British flora and fauna, and guides for how to spot natural phenomena and make your garden more wildlife-friendly, Wild Child is an essential guide for all young nature lovers.

Tunde is no ordinary kid; he’s a superhero! In this new adventure from comedian and author Lenny Henry, Tunde travels to a top-secret lab to meet other young heroes and find out how he got his powers. As he forms friendships with the other superpowered kids at the facility, they discover that a super evil enemy threatens the world and that only they can save the day. A page-turning story that will make you laugh out loud, Clash of the Super Kids is a must-read for superhero-obsessed young readers.

Inspired by the woods around his home, the mighty forests that support our life on Earth, and the Ted Hughes poem which gives this book its title, My Heart Was a Tree is a celebration, and Sir Michael Morpurgo's love letter to trees. There are stories from an ancient olive remembering Odysseus and Penelope, and from a tiny sapling carried by a refugee as a reminder of home – these are poems and stories that will amuse, move and energise families and readers of all ages to appreciate the beauty and wonder of trees.

The InvestiGators are back for their seventh adventure in All Tide Up. When Mango and Brash find the captain of a cruise ship alone at sea without his boat or his passengers, they set out to find out what happened and stop other ships from disappearing too! With full-colour illustrations, hilarious dialogue and themes of resilience and problem-solving, the InvestiGators comic book stories will help young readers develop their confidence and comprehension when reading independently. 

The Breakfast Club Adventures: The Headless Ghost is the fifth book in an exciting mystery series by Marcus Rashford, inspired by Marcus's own experiences growing up! There’s only a week to go before the school play when things start going wrong in rehearsals. There are rumours that a headless ghost has been haunting the dressing rooms and ruining rehearsals with its ear splitting screech. Marcus and his friends must work together to solve the mystery before opening night. The show must go on, so it’s a good thing the Breakfast Club Investigators never give up!

The co-creator of Adventures on Trains returns with a brand new series – think Indiana Jones meets the time travel of Doctor Who. One night, Sim discovers why he and his mum never stay in one place for very long: she can open doors in time, and the sinister Council of Keys want to find her. Running for their lives and into a time travelling mission to find a lost tomb with a powerful door to Ancient Egypt, Sim and his friends must solve the mystery of the golden heart scarab before the Council finds them. Will their time run out?

Travel back in time with The Wonder Team and the Space Race, the brand new story from Euros-winning England football captain, Leah Williamson. Leah is bored resting at home after a football injury – surely another time travelling adventure will cheer her up! Leah, Mimi and George head to 1950s America and the Space Race. Can they find a missing mathematician in time to save the rocket launch?

When Cassie's school launches a competition to redesign its school uniform, she can't wait to design a more eco-friendly look. But, with the competition getting fierce, she needs her design to stand out from the crowd. Will Cassie dare to be different or choose to fit in with the cool kids? A chapter book for about finding your tribe and following your dreams, Stitched Up! is a perfect read for independent readers aged 9 - 12.

The Ice Children is an exciting, contemporary, magical mystery adventure. At midnight on a December dawn, five-year-old Finn Albedo is found froze in a city park atop an icy pedestal, his heart beating, yet unresponsive. His sister, Bianca, suspects a vanished, enchanting library book holds answers, but as more children freeze, Bianca's quest for truth leads her into a perilous winter realm. Can she save Finn and the other Ice Children? 

Take a trip to the end of the rainbow in the final magical Peanut Jones adventure story, written and illustrated by Rob Biddulph. When Peanut discovers that the evil Mr White has kidnapped her mum as part of his dastardly plan to wipe out colour from the world, Peanut and her friends set out on a quest to save her. As they journey into the fantastical world of the magical Illustrated City, the friends find themselves in mortal danger and find that only their creativity and friendship will help them save the day. These big-hearted books about staying true to yourself are loved by middle-grade readers worldwide.

An extraordinary fantasy book with an environmental twist and a mystery at its heart. Daisy Thistledown has escaped from boarding school and is trying to find her missing mother. Her search takes her across London and through a hidden doorway into a world bursting with plants and magic: the Greenwild. But it soon becomes clear that all is not well. Can Daisy revive the Greenwild, save our world, and solve the mystery of her mother's disappearance? A botanical genius, a boy who can talk to animals and cat with an attitude are on-hand to help. 

A stunning poetry gift book celebrating the natural world, illustrated by Diana Catchpole. Out There in the Wild celebrates our place in nature. It is packed with poems about everything that lives in the the sea and rivers, on land and in the sky. You will meet eagles and skylarks, tigers and elephants, foxes, rabbits and bats, bees and butterflies and many other natural wonders. These beautiful poems written by Nicola Davies, Dom Conlon and James Carter invite you to consider how we are connected to the wild. We are all nature after all.

After leading the England women’s football team to victory in the European Championship in 2022, Leah Williamson knows a thing or two about being a great leader and how far you can go when you believe in yourself. In You Have the Power, Leah shares her story and her advice for young readers on how they can reach their dreams. Advocating for the importance of finding your strength and following your passions, this is a must-read for everyone this summer. 

Magical cousins Middy and Nathan are inseparable, even if they use their powers differently. For cautious Middy, magic is about patience; for Nathan, it’s about pushing the limits and flying in the face of danger. But when the famous Blackpool Tower disappears on the biggest night of the year, the cousins must set aside their differences and bring it back home in time for the big Christmas light switch on. Following the magical family as they embark on their biggest mission yet, Frank Cottrell-Boyce's new book for independent readers is packed with his trademark laugh-out-loud moments. 

Escape to the River Sea is a brand new adventure book by Emma Caroll, inspired by Eva Ibbotson’s classic masterpiece. Follow World War Two refugee Rosa Sweetman and her new friend Yara as they journey into the depths of the Amazon rainforest, meet all manner of creatures and encounter danger more incredible than they have ever known. Escape to the River Sea is a poetic yet heartbreaking tale of the impact of human beings on our natural world. 

Get ready to meet Patch Simmons, your new favourite diarist, in this hilarious YA rom-com debut from actor and comedian Harry Trevaldwyn. Patch has decided that this is the year he will get a boyfriend, and it will either be Peter, who's just moved from New York, or his best friend Sam. Whether or not they actually like boys – or him – is a problem for later. "Funny, voicey and fresh. Patch makes Georgia Nicolson seem demure and composed," says Elle McNicoll, author of Some Like it Cold.

Princess Mariama's life may look enviable, but she has a terrible secret. Behind palace walls, ninety-nine suitors have died trying to complete a trial in order to win her hand in marriage. And she is determined to end the carnage. Meanwhile, Amie has lost everything after being framed for a crime she had nothing to do with, and has been forced to work at the palace. Will she help Mariama to end the trials, or try to escape with the boy she loves?

Chloe Green wants to be a winner. Her moms have moved her from SoCal to Alabama for high school, and she has had to spend four years navigating gossips and the puritans who run Willowgrove Christian Academy. She is determined to win valedictorian, and only prom queen Shara Wheeler stands in her way. But, a month before they graduate, Shara kisses Chloe and disappears. Chloe launches an investigation with some fellow students –  quarterback Smith and bad boy Rory. Could it be there's more to Shara than meets the eye? 

Coming out as non-binary to their family was hard for Ben De Backer. Thrown out of the house, Ben is forced to move in with their older sister, who they haven’t seen in years, and to a new school. Trying to keep their head down, Ben isn’t looking for friendship until they meet Nathan, who helps Ben to navigate the new normal. As their relationship flourishes, the pair realise they might be more than friends, and for Ben, a happier life finally feels within reach. A tale of bravery and being true to yourself, I Wish You All the Best is this year’s most authentic and heartwarming YA-debut. 

Romance is the last thing on Dylan Tang’s mind right now. Between high school and working to win a mooncake contest to save his aunt’s Chinese takeout business, he doesn’t have a moment to catch his breath, let alone look for love. That is until Theo Somers comes along. Wealthy, charismatic, and looking for a fake date for his family party, Dylan agrees to help Theo out. But soon, he realises that he’s falling for his new friend. Will Dylan be able to juggle family, school and love, or will it all go wrong? This touching YA queer romance will have you hooked this summer.

The Urban Promise Prep school isn’t a regular high school. Bound by strict rules and extreme discipline, the prestigious programme guarantees its students the chance to go to college and escape the destiny of many others growing up around them. When the school’s principal is murdered, the police hone in on three students, J.B., Ramón, and Trey, as prime suspects, who must fight to find the killer and clear their names. A gripping thriller about how often the system fails young Black and Latinx men in America, Promise Boys is one of this year’s most talked about YA novels. 

Introduce young readers to Douglas Adams’ hilarious Hitcherhiker’s Guide with this brand new edition of the second book in the series. Illustrated by the award-winning Chris Riddell and featuring Adams’ classic comedy prose, in The Restaurant at the End of the Universe Arthur Dent and the Heart of Gold crew embark on a mission to reach Milliways for breakfast. Join them as they dodge Vogons, avoid the evilest world in the Galaxy and try to remember if they have a breakfast reservation. Young science-fiction fans will love this classic series.  

Frances Hardinge expertly weaves together mythology and mystery in a meticulously-detailed world besieged by curses. If you must travel to the country of Raddith, then be prepared. Bring a mosquito net for the lowlands, and a warm coat for the hills or mountains. Perhaps you will decide that all the stories of the Wilds and the Raddith cursers were invented to entertain tourists. And at night, when you see a many-legged shape scuttle across the ceiling of your bedchamber, you will tell yourself that it is a spider, and only a spider . . . It is not . . . 

A graphic novel about living life authentically as a trans and non-binary teen, in Homebody Theo Parish shares their journey to discovering their authentic and true self. An inspiring, honest account of the importance of living life on your own terms and being kind to yourself, no matter how hard it can feel, Homebody is a must read for 14+ young adult readers.

Enter a world full of magic and mystery in This Dark Descent, a new YA fantasy adventure inspired by Jewish folklore. When Mikira Rusell’s father is imprisoned and she’s left to pay his debts, she only has one option to help save herself and her family — enter one of the world’s most dangerous cross-country horse races and compete to win prize money beyond her wildest dreams. Unable to survive the journey alone, she recruits enchanter Ari and trainer Reid, who both vow to stick by her side. But as the trio embark on the most challenging journey of their lives, will they stay together, or will their conflicting goals threaten to tear them apart? 

Life is full of glamour and privilege for the students at Argyle Prep, an elite LA private school, until one fateful day. When one of the school's students is killed in a shocking car crash, the other three passengers will do anything to stop the truth from getting out. As secrets threaten to be revealed, Argyle Prep becomes a hotbed of rumour and scandal as the mystery of what caused the accident is slowly uncovered. The Headmaster’s List by Melissa de la Cruz is the YA thriller everyone will be obsessed with this summer. 

A feel-good YA graphic novel romance about a hot-headed ice hockey player who asks for temper management lessons from the cool, calm boy in drama club. When Alix punches her mean-girl teammate Lindsay, her future in ice hockey is on the line. Alix needs to learn how to control this anger, and she is sure Ezra, the cool and collected theater kid, is the answer. So she asks for his help. But as they hang out and start getting closer, Alix learns that there is more to Ezra than the calm front he puts on. And that maybe this friendship could become something more.