Interviewer
Tuva Kahrs
Interviews by Tuva Kahrs
The Best Finance Books for Teens and Young Adults, recommended by Darren Collins
Financial literacy is an essential life skill, but it is not routinely taught at school and not everybody has good role models to look to for financial behaviour. Reading can certainly help. Finance teacher Darren Collins recommends his top books for teens and young adults to learn the fundamentals for making sound personal finance decisions in life.
The Best Ocean Novels for 10-14 Year Olds, recommended by Helen Scales
Marine biologist Helen Scales reflects on the power of stories to bring all kinds of readers into the ocean realm. She recommends books for children and young adults, and explains why her selection focuses on novels for readers age 10-14.
Best Verse Novels for 8-12 Year Olds, recommended by Alison King
Verse fiction gets to the heart of a story without much text, the immediacy of the characters and the storyline making it instantly appealing to readers, including reluctant ones. Here, school librarian Alison King explains why everyone should read verse novels, and recommends her top picks for 8-12 year olds.
Great Teen Reads from Ireland’s Great Reads Awards, recommended by Breege O'Brien
Every year teenagers in Ireland show their enthusiasm for reading quality young adult fiction by voting for their favourite new Irish and international novels. Great Reads Award panellist Breege O’Brien highlights her top teen reads from recent years’ shortlists.
The Best Baby Books, recommended by Barbara Band
Barbara Band, librarian and former President of the UK’s Library and Information Association, explains why reading aloud for babies is not only a great bonding experience but also an important part of early childhood development. She shares some tips on reading with babies and introduces her top baby book recommendations.
The Best LGBT Novels for Young Adults, recommended by Cassie Kemp
Good books for teens and young adults are often about identity and figuring out who you are. Novels with LGBTQ+ characters are some of the best examples of (fictional) young people learning to be themselves while navigating the world. Here, librarian Cassie Kemp shares her top picks of LGBT novels for teens and young adults.
The best books on Fashion for Kids, recommended by Eunice Olumide
Model, actress, presenter and author Eunice Olumide shares her pick of the best books for children about fashion and the values that underpin her career in the fashion industry.
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1
Battle Angel Alita
by Yukito Kishiro -
2
The Promised Neverland
Kaiu Shirai, Posuka Demizu (illustrator) -
3
The Count of Monte Cristo
Alexandre Dumas, adapted by Crystal S. Chan, illustrated by Nokman Poon -
4
Pokémon Adventures (Red and Blue)
Hidenori Kusaka, Mato (illustrator) -
5
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
by Koyoharu Gotouge
Best Manga for Children and Teens, recommended by Oscar
Best Manga for Children and Teens, recommended by Oscar
Long associated with Japanese popular culture, manga are now found in translation across the world. In North America, this dynamic form of visual narration is overtaking comics and graphic novels in popularity. Oscar, age 13, recommends his favourite manga for children and teenagers.
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1
Who's Hiding in the Jungle?
by Katharine McEwen -
2
Wild Lives: 50 Extraordinary Animals that Made History
by Ben Lerwill & Sarah Walsh (illustrator) -
3
Look and Say What You See at the Seaside
by Sebastien Braun -
4
South African Animals
Lindiwe Mabuza, Alan Baker (illustrator) -
5
The Fascinating Animal Book for Kids: 500 Wild Facts!
by Ginjer Clarke
The best books on Wild Animals for Kids, recommended by Margaret Darawanda
The best books on Wild Animals for Kids, recommended by Margaret Darawanda
Children tend to be fascinated with animals, and wild animals particularly capture the imagination. Margaret Darawanda, an Akashinga ranger in the Lower Zambezi Valley, talks us through her pick of books for kids about animals in the wild.
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We Are Still Here: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know
Traci Sorell, Frané Lessac (illustrator) -
2
Stuntboy, In the Meantime
Jason Reynolds, Raúl the Third (illustrator), Guy Lockard (narrator) -
3
Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood
Kwame Mbalia (editor), Amir Abdullah & Taj Leahy (narrators) -
4
Redemptor
Jordan Ifueko, narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt -
5
Firekeeper's Daughter
Angeline Boulley, narrated by Isabella Star LaBlanc
The Best Audiobooks for Kids of 2021, recommended by Emily Connelly
The Best Audiobooks for Kids of 2021, recommended by Emily Connelly
Audiobooks are a wonderful way for children and teenagers to access stories, whether by themselves or as a shared listening experience. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly talks us through her selection of five of the best audiobooks for children and teenagers in 2021.
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.
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Under the Stars: Astrophysics for Everyone
by Lisa Harvey-Smith & Mel Matthews (illustrator) -
2
I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast
by Michael Holland & Philip Giordano (illustrator) -
3
Agent Asha: Mission Shark Bytes
by Sophie Deen & Anjan Sarkar (illustrator) -
4
Inventors: Incredible Stories of the World's Most Ingenious Inventions
by Robert Winston & Jessamy Hawke (illustrator) -
5
I am a book. I am a portal to the universe.
by Stefanie Posavec & Miriam Quick (illustrator) -
6
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
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.
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.
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Kay’s Anatomy: A Complete (and Completely Disgusting) Guide to the Human Body
by Adam Kay & Henry Paker (Illustrator) -
2
Look inside Your Body
by Louie Stowell, Kate Leake (Illustrator) -
3
Body
by Stephanie Babin, Ilaria Falorsi (Illustrator) -
4
Pirate Pete's Potty
by Andrea Pinnington & Melanie Williamson (Illustrator) -
5
Anatomy for Babies
by Jonathan Litton & Thomas Elliott (Illustrator)
Best Human Body Books for Kids, recommended by Sonia Joseph
Best Human Body Books for Kids, recommended by Sonia Joseph
An understanding of the human body can help children nurture both physical and mental health, as well as build knowledge and vocabulary about this fascinating topic. Paediatrician Sonia Joseph talks us through her pick of five books about the human body for kids, with something for every age from baby board books to middle grade non-fiction.
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.
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Sleep Tight Very Hungry Caterpillar
by world of Eric Carle -
2
Families, Families, Families!
by Max Lang (illustrator) & Suzanne Lang -
3
How to Be a Lion
by Ed Vere -
4
Look Up!
by Dapo Adeola (illustrator) & Nathan Bryon -
5
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’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 Classics Books for Children, recommended by Annelise Gray
Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire continue to fascinate children and provide fertile ground for historical novels that resonate with today’s readers. Author and classicist Annelise Gray talks us through some of her favourite books for children set in the ancient Mediterranean world and Roman Britain.