The literary landscape for young readers in 2025 is bursting with creativity, offering a rich tapestry of stories that champion connection, justice, and the pure joy of imagination. This year's standout selections, curated from a leading review, range from exuberant read-aloud favourites and poignant explorations of identity to high-stakes fantasy and gloriously bizarre nonfiction.
Picture Books and Illustrated Delights
In the realm of picture books, a legendary duo makes a triumphant return. Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury, the team behind the classic We're Going on a Bear Hunt, collaborate once more on Oh Dear, Look What I Got! published by Walker. This cumulative, rhyming tale follows a shopping trip hilariously derailed by mistaken items—a parrot for a carrot, a snake for a cake—culminating in the despairing cry, "Do I want that? No I do not!" Oxenbury's expressive illustrations amplify the chaos, creating a bouncy read-aloud destined for repeat performances.
Offering a more serious tone, Annie Booker's debut The Great Bear (Two Hoots) presents a lyrical and haunting narrative. It tells of the polar bear spirit guarding the oceans and the threat of human greed, depicted through stunning contrasts of luminous waters and the choking cables of fishing nets. It's a story that is both urgent and hopeful.
Celebrating identity with fierce beauty, This Is Who I Am by Rashmi Sirdeshpande, illustrated by Ruchi Mhasane (Andersen), gives voice to a child of immigrant parents. The poetic text navigates a dual heritage, weaving together the notes of a sitar and a guitar, and drawing strength from a shared history and freedom fighters.
For readers aged five and up, Firefly by Robert Macfarlane and Luke Adam Hawker (Magic Cat) is a metaphorical journey. Macfarlane's stirring verse guides through winter darkness to a field alight with fireflies, while Hawker's densely textured black-and-white illustrations blaze with intensity, culminating in a powerful resurgence of light and hope.
Nonfiction, Comics, and Captivating Series
Moving beyond traditional guides, Giselle Clarkson's Omnibird (Gecko) offers an entrancing look at ornithology for ages six and up. With humour and originality, it examines 18 species—from chicken feathers the colour of "apricot jam" to penguins with secretly long necks—encouraging children to see birds as complex, everyday miracles.
Surreal comedy takes centre stage in Neill Cameron's Donut Squad: Take Over the World! This graphic novel will thrill comic fans from age eight to adult with its tale of deep-fried pastries aiming for global domination. Readers join Sprinkles, the possibly duplicitous leader, and the anarchic squad—including Spronky and Anxiety Donut—in a candy-coloured war against the bellicose Bagels. Packed with absurdity and trivia, it's a single-sitting devour.
Thrilling Fantasy and Historical Adventures
In the domain of high fantasy, Katherine Rundell returns with The Poisoned King (Bloomsbury), the second instalment in her acclaimed Impossible Creatures series. Protagonists Anya and Christopher are back in the Archipelago, embarking on a quest for justice and the source of a mysterious poison. Their enthralling adventures feature sphinx-back rescues and harpy-guarded libraries, all underpinned by Rundell's elegant prose and a central message about love being the greatest weapon.
Katya Balen's Letters from the Upside (Bloomsbury) is a poignant contemporary story. It follows Con, a boy growing angry and isolated after his father leaves, who finds solace and connection through his neighbour's homing pigeons. By sending out airborne messages, he begins a journey of healing, celebrating the joy of caring for creatures and forging new bonds.
Emma Carroll ventures into new territory with Dracula & Daughters (Faber), a gothic thrill ride set in a vampire-fearing town. When cousins Mina, Buffy, and Bella discover their lineage to Dracula, they uncover a power that might heal the undead. This atmospheric, feminist fantasy is poised to be a gateway to Victorian classics for readers aged nine and up.
Zohra Nabi delivers superb historical fantasy in Deep Dark: A Cassia Thorne Mystery. Set in the shadows of 19th-century London, it follows Cassia, who lives in Fleet prison by night but sells news ballads by day. Teaming up with friends to investigate missing children, she uncovers a terrifying beast at the heart of the City. The novel masterfully blends tense mystery, period detail, and a sharp focus on social injustice.
This year's collection is a testament to the vibrant health of children's publishing, offering stories that entertain, challenge, and inspire a new generation of readers.
