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A playful picture book about Number Three testing different identities and uses before recognising a renewed purpose. Its humour comes through imaginative visual transformations, familiar number concepts and comic consequences rather than sustained danger or conflict.

This is an outward journey that becomes a test of belonging. The apprentices bring practical skills to another community, but the story questions whether competence gives outsiders the right to decide what help should look like.

Choose this for a reader who enjoys high-seas adventure, mermaids, treasure hunts, riddles and brisk action. The story also offers a character-led exploration of identity, friendship, prejudice and belonging.

A playful, high-energy quest turns familiar ideas upside down. Its central appeal is the combination of gaming-style adventure, colourful illustrations, unusual allies and a clear goal: return to the real world.

This is a gentle, realistic story about a child negotiating identity and belonging after moving countries. It offers a clear starting point for discussing names, pronunciation, welcome and cultural pride.

A quiet, participatory family story in which closeness is conveyed through shared routines rather than explanation. The sparse text and cropped illustrations invite a child and adult to notice details and create spoken stories together.

A tense, contemporary tech thriller about wanting recognition and discovering that helpful technology can take influence too far. It offers a clear springboard for discussing online choices and personal control.

A football-centred route into First World War history, this is an emotionally direct story about ambition, enlistment and survival. Its accessible presentation may support readers who want a gripping historical novel without dense prose.

This offers a lively introduction to Welsh folklore through brief, retold stories with magical, humorous and emotionally resonant elements. It may particularly suit shared reading or readers curious about Wales, names and traditional tales.

A silly contest between Pizza and Taco turns food preferences into a question of friendship and winning. Its very short, joke-driven structure and visual presentation may suit shared reading and repeated participation.

This is a dual-perspective queer romance about learning to resist pressure from friends and family. It combines warmth and humour with uncomfortable moments involving identity, belonging, prejudice and competing expectations.

This is a socially engaged Manchester story about three Black teenagers whose lives become connected after a stabbing. Its central interest lies in contrasting viewpoints, unequal experiences and the friendships formed in the aftermath.

A witty, emotionally serious story about teenagers confronting illness, love and mortality. It combines an accessible prose style with grief, brief sex, some swearing, drinking and reflections on literature, fate and what makes a life matter.

Expect a lively, illustrated fantasy quest built around an underdog team. The story combines dungeon challenges, comic world-building and a friendship arc, while Kit’s impulsive decision creates the central problem.

This is a brisk supernatural adventure with a vulnerable protagonist, dangerous family revelations and a shifting group of companions. Its strongest feature is the contrast between witty dialogue and genuinely unsettling horror, though the story includes notably dark and graphic moments.

This is an introductory tour of Massachusetts, combining geography, famous places, historical references and outdoor activities. Mr. Geo guides readers from Boston to Cape Cod and the Berkshires, with maps and activities extending the journey.

A collection of short princess adventures centred on celebrations, dressing up, dreams, friendship and helping others. Its variety offers familiar fairy-tale situations alongside Tiana and Naveen’s frog transformation and Ariel’s rescue of a baby seal.