Chiri and best friend Dai live in an orphanage right next to the deepest, darkest forest. On a scavenging mission to find some amazing new ingredients for her many culinary experiments, Chiri plunges both her and her best friend into the secret kingdom of Puddin', a secret place plagued by the Thousand Faces Monster and inhabited by all sorts of magical people and critters. Befriending witches, bards, ogres and sorcerers, can our two protagonists make it home and more importantly, can they evade the darkness that has awoken on their arrival?
Description
This new and exciting collection of 14 books that won awards in 2025, including the British Book Awards, Inclusive Books for Children Awards Winner, Waterstones Children's Book Prize, English 4-11 Picture Book Awards, Spark! School Book Awards, and FCBG Children's Book Award.
Our World: Democratic Republic of the Congo (Inclusive Books for Children Awards)
Joining the Our World series, this board book with endnotes about life in DR Congo was created by a Congolese author and illustrator team.
Destiny Ink: Sleepover Surprise (Inclusive Books for Children Awards)
Destiny can't wait to go for her first ever sleepover at her best friend's house. But she also can't help feeling a little worried ... they're going to camp outside in the garden - in a tent - but also in the dark! Destiny uses her trusty sketchbook to doodle her ideas and work through her worries. She even draws some monsters but that makes her feel a bit scared again, so she makes a tent in her room to practice in. When she goes to bed, she hears some noises from the tent and finds a monster inside!
Rune: The Tale of a Thousand Faces (Waterstones Children's Book Prize)
The Cafe at the Edge of the Woods (Waterstones Children's Book Prize)
Welcome to the Café at the Edge of the Woods, the utterly charming and mesmerising new picture book from BAFTA award-winning writer Mikey Please.
Rene's dreams have finally come true! She's opened a café beside an enchanted wood, and with the help of a newfound waiter, Glumfoot, she is ready to serve the finest cuisine! But the locals seem to favour a most peculiar palette, requesting all sorts of disgusting things.
Colin’s Castle (English 4-11 Picture Book Awards)
When a vegetarian vampire moves into his dream castle, he soon discovers he has an unwanted house guest …
Colin’s new castle is perfect in every way – apart from the DUCK.
The duck pops up when Colin’s in the bath. When he’s watching telly. When he’s ON THE LOO. QUACK!
But where there’s a will, there’s a way. Colin has a PLAN. Will he succeed in banishing Duck from his castle and leading the bird-free life that he dreams of?
Ayo's Adventure: Across the African Diaspora from Afro to Zulu (English 4-11 Picture Book Awards)
As a lifelong literacy advocate, I seek out children’s books that help kids explore the world around them. Ayo’s Adventure is a journey through the sights and sounds of the African diaspora. I loved hanging out with Ayo on his adventure. I learned so much.” - LeVar Burton, Actor + Children’s Literacy Advocate When Ayo struggles to fall asleep, he tumbles into an extraordinary journey across the African diaspora, where he experiences creative and resilient cultures that share his heritage. From hip-hop to kente cloth, from Mansa Musa to revolution, the African diaspora has inspired the world! Endmatter further explores connections between the nations, cultures, and traditions represented on both sides of the Atlantic, for a deeper understanding of the African diaspora.
Time Runs Like A River (English 4-11 Picture Book Award)
Rivers can be fast-flowing or still, raging or calm, just like us. This lyrical picture book from the award-winning artist Emma Carlisle explores the concepts of time and change through the ebb and flow of a river.
From the fleeting flash of a kingfisher to the slow grinding of pebbles, this beautiful book encourages readers to notice the big and small things happening in nature, as well as reflecting on things which have come and gone and those yet to be enjoyed.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess (The British Book Awards (The Nibbie)
The pressure is building for Greg Heffley, who discovers that when you mix heaps of family, a tiny beach house, and sweltering heat, it’s a recipe for disaster. Speaking of recipes - the secret ingredients behind Gramma’s famous meatballs have been closely guarded for years. Can Greg unpack all of his family’s mysteries before their vacation is over? Or will he just stir the pot?
Wilding (The British Book Awards (The Nibbies)
Knepp is now home to some of the rarest and most beautiful creatures in the UK, including nightingales, peregrine falcons, scarce chaser dragonflies, and purple emperor butterflies. When you walk out into the scrubland on an early spring morning the sound of birdsong is so loud it feels like it’s vibrating in your lungs. This is the story of Knepp, and a guide telling you how to bring wildlife back where you live.
Who Ate Steve? (Spark! School Book Awards)
Welcome to this extremely interesting book about size. Marcel is a bird. He is big. Steve is a worm, and he is . . . Wait a minute! Steve has DISAPPEARED! Does Marcel know something about it? And can he be persuaded to return that poor worm RIGHT NOW?!
Dungeon Runners: Hero Trial (Spark! School Book Awards)
Kit has dreamed of being a Dungeon Runner all his life. However, being a gnorf (part gnome, part dwarf) means he's much smaller than the other competitors. But when a space opens up for a new team in the Dungeon Running League, Kit doesn't want to miss this chance to try out! With his new friends Sandy and Thorn, they're ready to take on anything! Mazes, puzzles, monsters, treasure and most of all adventure! Are you ready for the games to begin? Welcome to the Dungeon!
Jakub’s Otter
In her first work of fiction Coral tells the story of ten-year-old Jakub Polanski who cares for his single mum, Maria, who has multiple sclerosis. The weight of responsibility has made Jakub forget he is a child, and his life outside of school is full of adult concerns. Everyone is worried about Jakub's mental health. To take the pressure off his mum and give Jakub a break, life-long family friends, the Koniks, take Jakub on holiday to Italy. While there Jakub learns about Marta's passion for writing poetry and storytelling, and she shows him that freedom and adventure are there for the taking. He discovers he is funny and smart and is not only defined by being a carer. And, in Italy, Jakub finds hope as he listens to an old, wise woodsman, who teaches him about otters, especially one injured otter called Piccolo.
Grotti
Down in the hollow, where creepy tangles grow, a knight finds something green, something grotti. He explains that he can’t stay because he is very busy (“I’ve got beasts to battle and kingdoms to defend!”). But he can’t just leave this sad, lost – and very big-eyed! – baby monster, can he?
I Am Rebel
Rebel is a good dog, and he loves his simple, perfect life on the farm with his owner Tom – until one day the war comes too close… Now Tom is determined to join the rebellion to defeat the king’s men. But Rebel knows war is dangerous, and he will stop at nothing to save the human he loves. Rebel must bring Tom home before it’s too late.