What Are You Looking For?

Choose this for a fast-moving dystopian horror story built around survival, undead threats, a televised contest and a relationship under pressure. Its central hook is spectacle made from danger.

A gentle adoption story that acknowledges frightening beginnings, uncertainty about change and lingering sadness or anger, while offering comfort through foster carers, social-worker support and a loving adoptive family.

A warm, comic sibling story about loving someone while also needing space. Nano and Felix’s disagreement grows through exclusion, bad weather and hurt feelings, then moves towards repair.

A quiet story of making something beautiful in a neglected place, then finding connection through it. Its focus is on patient care, creative action and the gradual opening of a friendship.

This is a contemporary YA romance about reconnecting with someone changed by fame. Alongside Lulu and Kite’s feelings, it considers friendship, family relationships, celebrity privacy, fandom culture, mental health and bisexual identity.

This is a gentle beach adventure about a character whose plans repeatedly go wrong, then improve through friendship and a calming activity. Its central interest is recognising strong feelings and responding with compassion.

A hopeful, character-focused magical-realism story about friendship, grief and coming of age, combining tender romance with secrets, mystery and the pressure of a strictly limited second chance.

This is a humorous contemporary fantasy-romance about luck, self-knowledge and changing feelings. Its appeal lies in Jude’s creative interests, playful narration and a central magical question that gradually becomes a question about personal responsibility.

A tender but emotionally weighty story about losing someone special. Its strongest feature is the storm-in-a-jar image, which gives Arlo’s sadness and anger a concrete visual form before the story turns towards remembering Nana.

This is a school-based story about first romantic feelings, friendship, creative ambition and self-acceptance. Astrid’s changing emotions are central, while her relationships and disappointments give readers opportunities to consider identity and resilience.

A creepy, energetic adventure that combines frightening creatures and suspense with banter, humour and an emphasis on four unlike students learning to support one another.

A funny, expressive story about facing the unknown. Pigeon’s objections make school worries visible, while the playful presentation may help a child recognise nervousness without making the situation feel overwhelming.

This is a reassuring school-transition story: a frightening unknown becomes more understandable through companionship and familiar activities. Its emotional focus may help children name nervousness while imagining what a school day could involve.

A thoughtful verse novel about a child facing an unwanted move and gradually finding steadiness. Its imaginary-friend narrator gives Ray’s worries a distinct voice while the story broadens towards kindness, refuge and understanding others.

A lively historical adventure follows Lily as she travels unexpectedly through time while managing friendship drama, a feud, a first crush and the challenge of being separated from home.

This is a grief-centred novel with a supernatural frame, offering a serious exploration of contradictory feelings rather than a light adventure. Its short, spare narration contrasts with the monster’s larger, ambiguous tales.

A playful, visually driven friendship story that uses repeated shapes, deadpan humour and reciprocal pranks. It offers opportunities to notice triangles and squares while inviting discussion about teasing, fear and unintended consequences.

A suspenseful fantasy about discovering identity and belonging, with a resourceful protagonist, dragon lore and a friendship shaped by loneliness. It offers emotional themes alongside danger, loss and a history of conflict between humans and dragons.