• Best West African Fantasy Books for Teenagers - Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
  • Best West African Fantasy Books for Teenagers - The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna
  • Best West African Fantasy Books for Teenagers - Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
  • Best West African Fantasy Books for Teenagers - Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
  • Best West African Fantasy Books for Teenagers - Daughters of Nri by Reni K Amayo

Best West African Fantasy Books for Teenagers, recommended by Efua Traoré

Fantasy inspired by West Africa is taking the literary scene for teens and young adults by storm. These books have strong world-building and all the usual fantasy ingredients. At the same time, drawing on rich seams of mythology and magical traditions such as juju, they bring something entirely fresh to the genre. Author Efua Traoré talks us through her pick of West African fantasy novels for teenagers.

  • Best Books for Preschool Kids - Each Peach Pear Plum by Allan Ahlberg & Janet Ahlberg (illustrator)
  • Best Books for Preschool Kids - The Mitten by Jan Brett
  • Best Books for Preschool Kids - Zonia's Rain Forest by Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Best Books for Preschool Kids - Katie Morag and the Two Grandmothers by Mairi Hedderwick
  • Best Books for Preschool Kids - Katie and the Impressionists by James Mayhew

Best Books for Preschool Kids, recommended by Janice Stewart-Yates

With travel restricted in much of the world due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, it is more important than ever to open children’s minds through books. Janice Stewart-Yates, a passionate Montessori educator, shares her recommendations for books that bring the world to children. These are some of her favourite picks for preschool classroom story time, as well as for reading with her own daughter.

  • Best Science Books for Children: the 2021 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Under the Stars: Astrophysics for Everyone by Lisa Harvey-Smith & Mel Matthews (illustrator)
  • Best Science Books for Children: the 2021 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast by Michael Holland & Philip Giordano (illustrator)
  • Best Science Books for Children: the 2021 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Agent Asha: Mission Shark Bytes by Sophie Deen & Anjan Sarkar (illustrator)
  • Best Science Books for Children: the 2021 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Inventors: Incredible Stories of the World's Most Ingenious Inventions by Robert Winston & Jessamy Hawke (illustrator)
  • Best Science Books for Children: the 2021 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - I am a book. I am a portal to the universe. by Stefanie Posavec & Miriam Quick (illustrator)
  • Best Science Books for Children: the 2021 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - 100 Things to Know about Saving the Planet

Best Science Books for Children: the 2021 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize, recommended by Katharine Cashman

In selecting the best science books for children, the judges of the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize identify books that are scientifically accurate as well as accessible and engaging. Katharine Cashman, Professor of Volcanology at Bristol University and Chair of this year’s judging panel, talks us through the six wonderful books that made the 2021 shortlist.

  • The Scariest Books for Kids - A Sprinkle of Sorcery by Michelle Harrison
  • The Scariest Books for Kids - The Ersatz Elevator Lemony Snicket & Brett Helquist (illustrator)
  • The Scariest Books for Kids - The Land of Roar Jenny McLachlan & Ben Mantle (illustrator)
  • The Scariest Books for Kids - The Day My Butt Went Psycho! by Andy Griffiths
  • The Scariest Books for Kids - A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

The Scariest Books for Kids, recommended by Jack Meggitt-Phillips

Scary children’s books give kids the pleasure of immersing themselves in an exciting page-turner, and are an excellent way to get reluctant readers to read novels. As long as you pay attention to individual children’s sensibilities, it shouldn’t be hard to find books that give them thrills rather than nightmares. Children’s author Jack Meggitt-Phillips talks us through his favourite scary books for kids.

  • Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – Inspiring a Lifelong Love of Reading - Sleep Tight Very Hungry Caterpillar by world of Eric Carle
  • Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – Inspiring a Lifelong Love of Reading - Families, Families, Families! by Max Lang (illustrator) & Suzanne Lang
  • Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – Inspiring a Lifelong Love of Reading - How to Be a Lion by Ed Vere
  • Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – Inspiring a Lifelong Love of Reading - Look Up! by Dapo Adeola (illustrator) & Nathan Bryon
  • Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – Inspiring a Lifelong Love of Reading - You Choose Your Dreams: originally published as Just Imagine by Nick Sharratt (illustrator) & Pippa Goodhart

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – Inspiring a Lifelong Love of Reading, recommended by Marion Gillooly

Dolly Parton is an iconic singer and songwriter, but many children around the world know her as their librarian. Through the Imagination Library she nurtures a love of books in young children. Marion Gillooly, Executive Director, The Dollywood Foundation UK, talks us through the background of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and highlights five of her favourite books in the catalogue (which she admits was really hard: “all the books are my favourites”).

  • The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2020 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson & with Gregory Mone
  • The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2020 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Cats React to Science Facts by Izzi Howell
  • The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2020 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - In the Key of Code by Aimee Lucido
  • The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2020 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - How to Win a Nobel Prize by Barry Marshall, Bernard Caleo (illustrator) & with Lorna Hendry
  • The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2020 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Gut Garden: A journey into the wonderful world of your microbiome by Katie Brosnan
  • The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2020 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize - Everyday Journeys Of Ordinary Things by Libby Deutsch & Valpuri Kerttula (illustrator)

The Best Science Books for Kids: the 2020 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize, recommended by Mike Kendall

To find the best science books for kids, the judges of the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize look for books that are not only accurate but also entertaining. Mike Kendall, Professor of Geophysics at Oxford University and chair of this year’s judging panel, talks us through the six fabulous books that made the 2020 shortlist (the final winner will be chosen by the real experts: more than 13,000 kids).