New children's books for October 2023
by Sophie Green
Looking for new books for your little ones? Take a look at our brand new children's fiction and non-fiction books for October 2023.
Find more recommendations for children.
D is for Dog, by Em Lynas and Sara Oglivie
Whether it's getting marvellously muddy, leaping and lolloping or hiding under the bed with a stolen slipper, a dog's life is so much fun. This hilarious alphabet celebration of canine capers is perfect for dog lovers young and old.
The Great Storm Whale, by Benji Davies
As a fearsome storm blows around Noi's house, his grandma tells of an unforgettable friendship between a little girl and a whale, many storms ago. But as she finishes her tale of perseverance and new beginnings, Noi soon realises it's part of their own story, too.
Borrow The Great Storm Whale →
I Really Want to Be a Cat, by Helen Hancocks
Follow our determined young heroine as she sets out to be a cat - because when you're a cat, you have all the time in the world to do what you want and you answer to no one! You must be ready to pounce at anything, or anyone, you can see in the dark, and you can come and go as you please - no questions asked.
Borrow I Really Want to Be a Cat →
A Happy Place, by Britta Teckentrup
This is a magical, moonlit adventure following a tiny star and invites us to dance with a whole host of animals. But is it all a dream?
Heavy Metal Badger, by Duncan Beedie
Badger is loud, proud and ready to rock. But first, he needs a band. An empowering rock anthem celebrating identity, self-expression and finding your musical tribe.
Beneath, by Cori Doerrfeld
Finn is in a horrible mood and doesn't want to talk about it. After some persuading, though, they agree to go for a hike with Grandpa. Throughout their forest walk, they see many different things: big, strong trees with networks of roots growing underneath, still water with schools of fish swimming below, and an expectant bird with eggs nestled under her. It's when the pair pass fellow hikers that Finn realizes that people, just like the elements of nature, are more than they appear. Grandpa explains that sometimes beneath a person who seems like they won't understand what you're feeling, is someone feeling the exact same way.
Have You Seen Dinosaur?, by David Barrow
In this follow-up to 'Have You Seen Elephant?', boy, dog and elephant search in a dramatic cityscape for a dinosaur that's surprisingly good at hiding!
Borrow Have You Seen Dinosaur? →
The Stars and Other Stories, by Jarvis
Bear and Bird are best friends! And while they don't always understand each other, they both agree: all they want it to make the other happy. So, when Bear gobbles up the special, surprise cake Bird made for him, Bird laughs and laughs. And when Bird gets completely lost after sitting on a rock with legs, Bear comes to the rescue, on a walking rock of his own.
Borrow The Stars and Other Stories →
Oscar's Lion, by Adam Baron and Benji Davis
Oscar is a little terrified to find that a lion is going to be looking after him for the weekend. But when the lion lets him eat as many biscuits as he wants, and reads him his favourite story ten times, Oscar realises he might be on to something good. Soon, Oscar discovers that the lion can change into different animals and the pair find themselves having all kinds of adventures! But before the lion has to go, might he have one more amazing transformation up his sleeve?
Scrap, by Guy Bass and Alessia Trunfio
The Snow Girl, by Sophie Anderson and Melissa Castrillon
I wish the snow girl would come to life. Then I would have a friend, a real friend I could trust, and I wouldn't feel so alone. When Tasha builds a snow girl with her grandpa, all she wants is for her to be real. If only wishes on snow could come true. Then Tasha meets Alyana, a friend made of wishes, starlight, snowfall and magic. But when your best friend is made of winter, what do you do when spring comes?
Welcome to the Mysteryverse: A World of Unsolved Wonders, by Clive Gifford
Why do we dream? How come more people are right - than left-handed? What's inside a black hole? Science is pretty amazing, but even though we know more about our universe than ever before, there still remain lots of unanswered questions that fascinate and perplex even the greatest scientific minds. These are the unknowns, the paradoxes and the things not fully explained or understood. This book is a compendium of these riveting unsolved mysteries, that still have us wondering.
Borrow Welcome to the Mysteryverse →
What You Need to be Warm, by Neil Gaiman
In 2019, Neil Gaiman asked his Twitter followers: What reminds you of warmth? Over 1,000 responses later, Neil began to weave replies from across the world into a poem in aid of the UNHCR's winter appeal. It revealed our shared desire to feel safe, welcome and warm in a world that can often feel frightening and lonely. Now publishing in hardback and illustrated by a group of artists from around the world, 'What You Need to Be Warm' is an exploration of displacement and flight from conflict through the objects and memories that represent warmth. It is about our right to feel safe, whoever we are and wherever we are from. It is about holding out a hand to welcome those who find themselves far from home.
Borrow What You Need to be Warm →
Legendary Creatures: Mythical Beasts and Spirits From Around the World, by Adam Auerbach
From the vicious three-headed Chimera of ancient Greece to the peaceful Navagunjara of India - a creature made from parts from nine different animals - to the awe-inspiring dragons of Europe and East Asia, this exciting introduction to mythological creatures celebrates the wondrous beings featured in stories from all over the world. Including a vast array of fierce monsters, powerful spirits, ancient gods, and helpful beasts, this is the perfect primer to engage young readers interested in the fascinating world of mythology.
The Firefly's Light: The Secret Inventors of our Natural World, by Sarah Horne
Ever wonder how fireflies light up the sky? And why those sticky plant seeds are so hard to get off your clothes? 'The Firefly's Light' is a mind-boggling non-fiction book about biomimicry - how humans have been inspired by observing the amazing innovations of the natural world. With illustrations and incredible stories, explore and celebrate how designers, engineers and scientists have looked to nature and found solutions to everyday problems.
The Stories and Secrets of Colours, by Susie Brooks and Sirjana Kaur
From prehistory to the present day, colours have shaped our world in more ways than you might expect. In 'The Stories and Secrets of Colour', young readers can explore the many meanings behind and uses for colour all over the world, from the Tuareg people of North Africa and their striking blue clothes, to why saffron is so expensive and what makes flamingos pink.
Through colour, we discover amazing facts about animals and plants, learn how colours have changed the course of history and find out how different colours affect our moods and health. Vivid, imaginative full-spread illustrations from Indian illustrator Sirjana Kaur are a joyful celebration of colour and Susie Brook's text reveals how colour is infused into every part of our lives.