What Are You Looking For?

A body-positive coming-of-age novel about Willowdean’s attempt to reclaim confidence by entering a beauty pageant, while navigating attraction, friendship, family tensions and her community’s expectations.

This is an encouraging, practical exploration of how practice, perseverance, support and learning from mistakes may help people develop skills. Its central message is hopeful, though the emphasis on becoming “awesome” can make achievement feel like the main measure of success.

A family’s fear grows as a huge black dog watches their home. Small Hope faces it, leads it on a chase, and discovers a playful way to bring it inside.

A true, illustrated account of a boy who wonders how things work, teaches himself from old science books and builds a windmill for his drought-ravaged village. The emphasis is on persistence and practical invention.

This is a lively guide to finding creativity and confidence through magic, comedy, circus skills and science. It mixes practical activities with encouragement to practise, check facts, share ideas and accept that people can grow and change.

A focused, dual-narrative historical novel about displacement, survival and access to water. Its language is spare, but the experiences include war, deaths and severe deprivation, balanced by perseverance and collective problem-solving.

Readers get a varied set of true survival accounts, from exploration and shipwreck to accidents and medical crises, with illustrations highlighting pivotal moments. The emphasis is on extraordinary ordeals rather than one continuous narrative.

A lively circus setting frames a story about a penguin choosing a different role. Poppy’s change from performer to organiser offers a reassuring alternative to following a family tradition.

A playful search story built around surprise: Louis’s failed-looking tricks become an entertaining show. Its visual humour, colourful illustrations and diverse audience create a warm, upbeat reading experience, with a final reveal involving the rabbit.

A school-based story about a child whose concentration difficulties and wish to be loud create trouble, followed by a teacher’s more responsive approach and an opportunity for musical self-expression.

This is an ocean adventure about attempting something others doubt, preparing carefully, coping with difficult conditions and discovering capability. It also brings ocean wildlife and pollution into the story through Lucy’s classmates.

A gentle environmental story about a small, quiet character whose observations are initially overlooked. Whisper’s eventual advocacy involves friends, creativity and persuasion rather than simply becoming louder.

A gentle story about moving from a very small comfort zone into wider experiences. Mabel’s journey offers opportunities to discuss fear, curiosity, confidence, changing seasons and supporting someone who is hesitant.

This is a playful story about turning an impossible wish into a sequence of experiments. Its appeal lies in the boy’s imaginative plans and the surprising distinction between a star in the sky and something star-shaped.