Books of the Year 2025
This year’s stand out new books, recommended by a panel of experts including Books for Keeps reviewers and writers.
Ferelith Hordon, editorial advisor to Books for Keeps
It grabbed my attention the moment I saw it: The Ordinary Life of Jacominus Gainsborough by Rébecca Dautremer, sensitively translated by Charis Ainslie. I was intrigued and enchanted by this life of Jacominus, so ordinary, yet so extraordinary. The illustrations overwhelm, full of colour and delicious details with subtle references to famous artists and art. This is a visual narrative with a difference. Bursting in too came Mat O’Shanter, Simon Lamb’s take on Robert Burns’ classic tale; what energy and such a clever contemporary look. The traditional framework is there, the dramatic storytelling. Rhyme and rhythm carried me along, breathless, to the final shock. This immediacy drew me to The Cave Explorer from Kate Winter as she put me in touch with a distant past. I was gripped by the story and even more by the humanity of the illustrations bringing those artists to life. Were they so different from us? Kate both posed the question and provided food for my thoughts. These titles enriched my reading in 2025.
Jake Hope, reading development and children’s book consultant, and chair of the working party for the Carnegie Medals.
Tull Suwannakit’s Higher Ground is a rich visual story composed of journal sketches, wordless sequences and graphic novel elements. It tells a story that manages to be impressively wide-reaching with its comments on our connections to nature and the environment, but also intimate, personal and deeply affecting. Set at a time when there has been a great flood a grandmother and her two grandchildren seek new ways to survive as they face an uncertain and challenging future.
Rhys, the surfing protagonist at the centre of Nicola Garard’s exceptional On the Edge faces a similarly uncertain future. Employment in the 
coastal town where he grew up is largely seasonal and Rhys and his brothers are grieving both the earlier loss of their mother and a father who is largely absent. There’s an urgency and directness to the predicaments Rhys faces in this searing rites-of-passage novel. The writing is honed and lyrical offering insightful observation on male emotions and leaving a long-lasting impression.
Amy McKay is a school librarian, living and working in Cumbria, former Yoto Carnegies National Coordinator and regular judge on children’s book awards.
Jodie Jones is super intelligent but failing at school. Jodie Jones will only answer you if you call her by her full name: Jodie Jones. Jodie Jones loves words but struggles to talk openly with most people.
With a super-skilled pen, Emma Shevah slowly reveals Jodie Jones’ full truth, ensuring she will remain with readers long after the last page. Jodie Jones herself is impossible not to empathise with and be impressed by, whilst her toxic mother is a literary villain that will make eyes pop and heads shake. Only occasionally are we lucky enough as readers to find a book that is written with such skill and clarity that it feels like it is talking directly to us, My Name is Jodie Jones is one of those books. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Martin Salisbury, Professor of Illustration, Cambridge School of Art
The output of Beatrice Alemagna, a highly influential picturebook-maker, never fails to astonish. Her work continues to find new levels of richness and texture in both image and word whilst remaining equally accessible to child and adult. We must wait until 2026 for the UK and US editions of La Grande Cradolasse, where the title will be translated as The Mud Princess and Her Muddy Majesty of Muck respectively. The book explores a child’s darker emotions as she deliberately drops her house keys into a drain whilst struggling with her feelings on the way home from school. Climbing down in an attempt to retrieve them, she descends into an underworld of what might delicately be interpreted as ‘muck’, where the monstrous Cradolasse endeavours to lure her to the dark side, before the girl’s big brother comes to the rescue. Another exquisite offering from this Astrid Lindgren Prize nominated artist.
Dr Rebecca Butler writes, lectures and tutors on children’s literature and is a regular reviewer for Books for Keeps.
I have liked two books equally this year. The first is How to Roller Skate with One Leg by Ella Dove. The protagonist, Maya, is twelve and has just become a below-the-knee amputee. In this deeply moving, thought provoking, and often funny, own voices debut, Ella Dove explores the implications. What elevates this book is how Dove shows the reader the nuances of Maya’s emotions towards her leg, towards other people and towards herself.
My second choice is Under the London Sky by Anna Woltz, translated from the Dutch by Michele Hutchison. This is a detailed rendering of the height of the London Blitz. One of the main characters, Ella, has recovered from Polio and is living with its after-effects, both mental and physical. Her inner monologue will speak to any young person who has ever felt isolated by their difference.
Professor Teresa Cremin, Open University, Co-director, Literacy and Social Justice Centre
Affectively engaging, My Name is Samim, a remarkable debut novel by Fidan Meikle, an Azerbaijani British writer, gripped me from the outset. Inspired by the true story of an Afghan refugee Gulwali Passarlay, who was only 12 years old when he began his traumatic journey across Europe to seek asylum in the UK, the narrative tracks Samim and Zayn’s parallel travels in search of solace, safety and a place to call home. Meticulously researched, the tale foregrounds friendship, fear, uncertainty, and determination in equal measure. Moments of respite for the boys allow the reader to breathe momentarily, but otherwise one is plunged forward, fully experiencing their pain, the losses and memories, the kindnesses shown and their overwhelming desire to survive. The sequel is almost out. I need to know and understand better. We all do.
Zoey Dixon is Library Hubs Manager, Lambeth Libraries.
I have two books very different books that I want to highlight as my books of the year. However, both The History of We, written and illustrated by Nikkolas Smith and The Doughnut Club by Kristina Rahim are stories for kids that are rarely told to them. The History of We is a beautiful picture book that shares the story of our ancestors and their beginnings. It celebrates their spirit, ingenuity and achievements, it’s lyrical and powerful. Each page is a work of art; a truly a stunning book. The Doughnut Club features an LGBTQ+ family with donor conceived children who find out that they have a lot more siblings than they thought! It’s a gentle coming-of-age tale about family and finding your place. You’ll be left with a smile on your face.
Rebecca Gediking, Head of Libraries – GLL, Head of GLL Literary Foundation
Kirsty Applebaum’s The Strange Disappearance of Imogen Good is a beautifully written and quietly compelling mystery for readers aged 9 to 12. When Fran goes to stay with her aunt and uncle, she expects an ordinary week but soon realises that her cousin Imogen has vanished and, most unsettling of all, that everyone insists she never existed. The story is both eerie and full of heart. The alternating narratives, linking Fran’s search with an old legend surrounding Stillness Hall, create atmosphere and intrigue while exploring friendship, courage and self-belief. The writing has real warmth and understanding, with gentle humour that perfectly balances the story’s tension. Rich in emotion and beautifully paced, this is a memorable novel about trust, resilience and the quiet power of believing in what feels true.
Jenny Hawke Children’s Librarian, Vice Chair of the GLL Literary Foundation
Jamila Galvin’s My Soul A Shining Tree from Farshore is a beautifully written, moving and poignant book focusing on the futility of the First World War told from four perspectives. The main characters are Lotte, a Belgium farm girl, Ernst a very young German soldier, a real life character Khudadad Khan who is an Indian soldier and a Walnut Tree: All contribute in the first person. The story does not shy away from the brutal realities of war but makes it accessible for a younger audience. Despite the harshness of the battlefields and the devastation of villages the plot carries the reader along in a calm, relaxed and quiet way. Hope permeates throughout the novel to the end. Themes of war, bullying and empathy make My Soul, A Shining Tree a compelling and engaging novel.
Nicholas Tucker is honorary senior lecturer in Cultural and Community Studies at Sussex University.
Anthony McGowan’s The Beck has everything. It is short, easy to read, funny, exciting, moving and to cap it all carries a strong message about protecting the environment, particularly in build-up areas. As I wrote at the time in my review for BfK, ‘Sentences whizz by, jokey dialogue abounds and clever sub-plots interweave with the main action.’ Looking at it again I see no reason to change my mind in any respect.
Fen Coles, co-director Letterbox Library.
2025 has been a mixed year for LGBTQ+ characters in UK publishing; disappointingly, there are no signs of an upwards curve. A recent smattering of early years titles about Pride celebrations have disappointed our reviewers. Ironically, these are very often curiously suppressed, only rarely providing an introduction to the festival, instead presenting rather nebulous street parties where everyone is welcome but few LGBTQ characters see the light of day. The boardbook, Busy Pride, is an exception, revelling in a recognisable celebration which also waves its colours with something much closer to actual pride. Picture books preferring an ‘incidental’ mode of LGBTQ+ representation include Great-Aunt Margot and Me, a joyful story of intergenerational familial love, although Great-Aunt Margot’s queer identity is mostly smuggled into the end page illustrations. ‘Incidental’ need not mean sidelining, as amply proven by picture book delight, When Will My Woodlouse Wake Up?, an early bereavement book which charms with its frank and fresh, child-attuned, dialogue. The protagonist’s two mums, an interracial couple, hover –but very visibly so – in the background. Interestingly, UK same sex/gender picture book representations very often appear as interracial couples, a tradition continued by The Princes and the Pea in which Prince Fredwin and Prince Zac tie the knot, facilitated by the smart, loud-mouthed, trouser-wearing Princess Ardwenna. Two middle grades stood out to us this year. Nate Yu’s Blast from the Past is a thoughtful story about identity, family and belonging centring an East Asian adoptee child in a family which happens to be headed up by two mums (both white). Lastly, references to the queer identities of historical figures are still far too often footnoted, so to have Catherine Johnson make unequivocal reference to Josephine Baker’s bisexuality in the superior historical fiction, Dance of Resistance, feels almost radical.
Thank you to author Rachael King for this selection of the books of the year from New Zealand
New Zealand author Elizabeth Knox’s standalone Kings of This World (Allen & Unwin) is a return to the world of her past YA series that started with Dreamhunter. Knox is also known for adult fantasy, most recently The Absolute Book (John Murray); her books for young adults are challenging in the best way – cerebral as well as gripping. I suppose you’d loosely label this ‘dark academia’, but it exists outside the realm of cookie-cutter tropes and mercurial romance. Vex, brought up in foster care after a mass murder in a commune run by her father, finds herself at an elite boarding school, mostly for kids who possess ‘P’ – a power to ‘push’ or persuade people to varying degrees. Very quickly, she and a group of fellow students are kidnapped. They endure harrowing conditions while trying to work out why they have been taken, and their escape and subsequent investigation is thrilling and complex in the best way. Knox is revered in New Zealand, a successor, in the YA world at least, to the great Margaret Mahy.
And finally, a special overview of the year, good news and bad, from Farrah Serroukh, Research & Development Director, Centre for Literacy in Primary Education
Celebrating the Small but Mighty
In the wake of the recent upsetting news of the closure of Knights Of in October and Tiny Owl books in August, I’d like to spotlight books published by some of the small but mighty independent presses that form part of the publishing community. Books that fill gaps, create new openings and stretch the edges of the creative space. Producing self-assured and thoughtfully crafted titles, each of these publishers and their creatives invite readers into rich and varied story worlds.
Tiny Owl’s poetry collection, My Puppy Poet and Me, gifted the work of the late award-winning literary giant Eloise Greenfield to new audiences. Illustrated by the talented Ehsan Abdollahi, this beautiful collection brought the everyday to life through a wonderful interplay between words and illustration imbued with the joy, curiosity and playfulness of childhood.
Otter-Barry Books have reigned supreme as one of the British publishers to have their titles most consistently feature in CLPE’s annual poetry award (the CLIPPA) shortlists. Turbo charging the professional trajectories of new talent, with laureates, internationally renowned artists and all-round exceptional talent on their books. They have been instrumental is championing children’s poetry. This year saw the publication of The Poetry World of John Agard, written by John Agard and illustrated by Shirley Hottier. A special compendium of delights for old and new fans alike of this living legend.
Books produced by Lantana like their namesake continue to represent beauty, resilience and innovation. Through the Forest by Yijing Li continues to be one of the most beautiful and moving titles in their list. It is both confronting and comforting, expressing deep vulnerability in every mark that conveys a profound strength.
Knights Of not only introduced UK readers to icons like Kelly Yang and Jason Reynolds from across the pond but also nurtured home-grown, award-winning talents such as Elle McNicoll and Sharna Jackson. This year, it was a treat to enjoy another instalment from Polly Ho-Yen as part of her longstanding working partnership with Knights Of; When The Storm Comes has all the hallmarks of a gripping middle grade adventure. A compelling title that grapples with the real-life challenges of our times whilst channelling hope through its young cast of resourceful and brave children.
Storymix’s unique writing incubation model offers a collaborative working approach that provides writers with a supportive framework and pathway into the industry in partnership with larger houses. It is through this channel that the award-winning Lizzie and Belle Mysteries series was born. Written by J.T. Williams and illustrated by Simone Douglas the first two titles in the series weave forgotten, misrepresented and marginalised lived experiences into fast paced, high drama, historical mystery adventures.
Alanna Max have long been home to Lulu and Zeki, inviting readers to delight in the beauty of everyday moments, growing with the siblings as they navigate new milestones and gifting the opportunity for connectedness with these household favourites. 2025 saw the latest instalment in the Lulu series with Lulu Moves Home written by Anna McQuinn and illustrated Rosalind Beardshaw. A title that captures the emotional significance of such an experience whilst holding readers through this with tender reassurance and optimism.
I am tremendously grateful for the commitment of these publishers and creatives to making great books and enriching bookshelves through powerful, thoughtful and creative storytelling. Their tireless work and dedication to nurturing new talent and celebrating literary icons are integral to making British children’s literature the vibrant, exciting, inspiring and innovative industry that it is.
