Tuva Kahrs,

A storyteller from a nomadic Romani family, Richard O’Neill has been telling stories since he was a child. Here, he talks us through five books he’s written for kids. He emphasizes the importance for children of seeing themselves reflected in books, as well as the need for authentic writing about Gypsy and Traveller communities.

There needs to be a lot more sci-fi for kids, especially if it’s got a good dose of horror, argues Dan Smith, author of the sci-fi mystery series Crooked Oak. He recommends five works of science fiction for 8 to 12 year olds, from books written more than half a century ago to more recent jewels.

Chess is one of the most enduringly popular games in the world, transcending language barriers and teaching valuable life skills. Chess teacher and master Andrew Green recommends books (plus a few websites) to help beginners of all ages learn the game.

As audiobooks for kids continue to grow in popularity, AudioFile’s Emily Connelly explains some of the reasons why, and talks us through her pick of the five best audiobooks for kids and teens of 2022.

Adults sometimes worry that horror novels are too scary for children, but children’s author Jennifer Killick is a fan. Here she picks out five fantastic horror books for 9-12 year olds and explains that in addition to the sheer fun of reading a thriller, horror books can help kids develop courage and often appeal to reluctant readers.

The Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize celebrates books that stimulate children’s curiosity and enthusiasm to explore, innovate and debate. Alan Wilson, Chair of this year’s judging panel, talks us through the six outstanding science books for kids that made the 2022 shortlist.

Zara, age 12, is an avid reader of philosophy books. Here she shares her favourite picks, and gives adults some tips on selecting the best books to get kids interested in philosophy.

Libraries provide a space for children to read for pleasure and discover the transformative power of books. Children’s author Bahram Rahman shares his favourite picture books about libraries for children age 4-8, and explains why book-recommending algorithms cannot replace librarians.

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.

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.