I’ve got time for anything written by Gabby! I bet you’ve got at least one of her books in your collection at home or at school, or in your local library. This is the first of a delightful new poetry/nature science/activity series all about the seasons by this much-loved London-based Children’s author.

Both these creators, Rachel Ip and Natelle Quek, have individually become mainstays of the Children’s picture book world, particularly for books which sensitively and masterfully focus on specific themes in a combination: divorce, dementia, or saving the planet. ‘One Day at a Time’ is about siblings, Poppy and Robin, deliriously happy in their family life, who find out their parents are separating and learn how to find a happy new normal.

Bestselling author, Trish Cooke, of ‘So Much’ Children’s picture book fame, has penned a twisted fairy tale based on ‘Rapunzel’ to tell a story very close to her heart. ‘Rapunzel’, whose long hair helped her to escape from her captor in a tower, has always been a favourite of Trish’s, and she uses the Brothers Grimm plot together with her own African ancestry to inspire ‘The Magic Callaloo’.

Award-winning creator, Eva Eland, is back! This is an absolutely delightful picture book, playful and interactive for a read aloud story. The cat in the story lives with Auntie, and he’s living his best life… that is until Auntie’s little niece Suzy comes round to play! In a funny hide-and-seek caper, who will ultimately outsmart whom?

The creator of the lovely picture book series including her debut, ‘NO! Said Rabbit’ (Scallywag Press, 2022) and the sequel, ’READY! Said Rabbit’ (Scallywag Press, 2022/3), Marjoke Henrichs, is back with a new character, Catz, who has a case to solve for his friend Flossy!

New fiction from the author of the award winning ‘Orphans of the Tide’ trilogy! Domino and her new found friends head into battle in a quest for the peaceful balance between magic and science in this gripping philosophical fantasy adventure. Expect genetically modified lizards (dinosaurs brought back from extinction), Spirit creatures from your wildest dreams, and some dastardly despotic evil rulers to defeat in order to bring peace back to Abzalaymon once more.

A brilliant book about starting secondary school, fast-friendships and fast-fashion. ‘Stitched Up’ is a thoroughly enjoyable yarn with heartwarming and meaningful threads of knowledge and creativity when Cassie finds out the Year 7s are designing a new school uniform at the same time as her helping her local KnitWit community group win their dress-making competition!!

They’re back - the author:illustrator duo and publishing team behind the much-loved, bestselling, ‘The Girl and The Dinosaur’ (Bloomsbury, 2020), and I’m absolutely thrilled to share their new Children’s picture book ‘The Girl and The Mermaid’, which has all the feels of their first book, and then some!

What a gorgeous first time collaboration from two of my favourite Children’s book creators: Tom Percival (Big Bright Feelings series, The Invisible and more) and Richard Jones (Perdu, Little Bear and more). ‘Quiet’ is an intensely beautiful, yet powerful story. A small little bird too afraid to speak her mind sees something truly terrifying one day - a “huge metal monster” tearing up the trees! Can she find her voice to warn the others and take action to save their home?

There isn’t a page I didn’t pour over with eagerness. I loved each fascinating anecdote or ‘did you know’ fact. The message is loud and clear about how we can all play our part in improving the wild. We can and must co-exist without destroying it.

How are your dreams these days? Are you someone who doesn't remember them, enjoys escaping off into wonderful fantasy worlds, or are you susceptible to nightmares? What about your kids? For this, friend, the first of a new fantasy series from the brilliant LD Lapinski, is about to shake your brain up!!

Me = massive Mariajo Ilustrajo fan… I have Flooded (winner of the Klauss Flugge Prize), then Lost (love too), and now ‘I Love Books’ is finally in my hands having waited for it as soon as I knew it was coming last year. YAY!! I knew it was going to be a winner!!

With numerous board books for babies and toddlers published by Nosy Crow under her belt as a book designer (Pekaboo series, Felt Flaps series, Pip and Posy and more), ‘Storm-Cat’ is the debut picture book from the illustrator of Zadie Smith and Nick Laird's ‘Weirdo’ (Puffin, 2021/2), Magenta Fox. Stormy feelings are nature’s way of letting us know that things aren’t ok. When Arwel misses someone special, he holds in his emotions until they start to affect the weather!

This is a superb fairy tale story for all children to enjoy, reducing the shame and stigma associated with bed wetting, or even little accidents during the day. I hope to see more picture books, and hopefully some poetry from this wonderful Children's creator, Effua Gleed, and her fun and joyful imagination.

You simply have to meet Miss Cat! She's a slinky kinda girl, be-hoodied with pointy cat ears. Based in an old dairy at 29 Thirty Street, she runs her detective agency. You'll soon notice she's rather good at prowling, climbing, jumping, detecting danger, she's a thinker, and has a ‘kitty-cat’ sense. Miss Cat has a new case - a widow's beloved canary has been kidnapped!

I absolutely loved this book. The author’s life with her family on the farm no doubt provides endless sources of inspiration for her stories. 10 year old city-girl Ava spends a couple of weeks at with her Aunt Kitty, Uncle John, + cousin Tom on their farm during the Easter holidays, and it's the life-changing, life-affirming adventure she never knew she needed.

Having followed Xin Li for some time on social media, as soon as she started dropping hints of this book, I was hot on the case, and wow, does it take your breath away - it’s absolutely STUNNING! Xin Li cites many influences on her website including: Shaun Tan, Maurice Sendak, Jackie Morris, The Fan Brothers and many more greats… I love this empathy story about Emma, who finds the busy, loud side of kid life hard to cope with.

Katherine Woodfine retells Lottie's true story with a delightful narrative. The reader is given a little background to Lottie's early life in the 1870s. It was when she was a little girl that lawn tennis became a new craze and their family had a court set up in the gardens. Was this a sport for girls though? Her Mother gave her some great advice: “Girls can’t play tennis as well as boys? What a load of nonsense!…You can do anything you want if you set your mind to it.” Go Mrs Dod!!

It took 9 years for SF Said to write this book. SF Said is a scholar who is an entity unto himself, an oracle of learned wisdom evoking higher awareness through his multi award-winning works of children's literature. If you're a fan of apocalyptic literature soaked in symbolism you're going to love 'Tyger'. The cover artwork and plentiful illustrations throughout by the incredible Dave McKean are soul-clenching, jaw-dropping.

Book Review by The Kids Books Curator: ‘The Lost Whale’ by Hannah Gold, illustrated by Levi Pinfold (HarperCollins) For ages 8+. From London to LA, an 11 year old boy goes on a journey to find belonging, himself, joy, love and the healing power of an endangered grey whale. A beautiful and bold story of second chances. You'll love it... ocean's promise!