New children's books for September 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 September 2023.
Find more recommendations for children.
Gigantic, by Rob Biddulph
Meet Gigantic, the smallest blue whale in the Atlantic. Dwarfed by the other whales, Gigantic keeps to himself, making new friends and perfecting his somersaults and flips in the bay. But one day when Gigantic's brother, Titan, gets stuck on the sand, it's down to Gigantic and his smallest sea creature friends to save the day. Can they show it's possible to be tiny and tough?
Bella the Storyteller, by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
From the author of The Suitcase.
Meet Bella - she's not that rabbit, nor the squirrel, she's the hills, and the trees, and everything in the background. But today, she's taking control and creating her own story. Today, she's Bella the Storyteller, and she wants her story to have dragons and dinosaurs and pirates and unicorns and aliens in space! This is going to be the best story ever - but Rabbit and Squirrel might not agree.
Borrow Bella the Storyteller →
I Want a Dog, by Jon Agee
The Copley County Animal Shelter has an aardvark, a lizard, a goose, a weasel, and plenty more. But do they have a dog? This little girl has even turned up with a trolley to take home a dog - and she will not take 'no' for an answer!
Someone Just Like You, by Helen Docherty and David Roberts
Somewhere in this world, there is someone just like you, who finds the same things funny and who laughs the way you do. Have you ever stopped to think that there might be someone out there who is just like you? And if they needed you, would you help them? Helen Docherty's lyrical rhyming text is perfectly matched by David Roberts' stunning, thoughtful illustrations, as the two combine to make a picture book that is as necessary as it is beautiful.
Borrow Someone Just Like You →
A Mystery at the Incredible Hotel, by Kate Davies and Isabelle Follath
Follow-up to The Incredible Hotel.
The world baking competition is coming up. It is taking place at the Incredible Hotel and will judged by guest of honour, Chef Tartine. Stefan has perfected his chocolate cake recipe but on the morning of the event... the recipe is nowhere to be found.
Luckily, the best detective in Delaunay is on hand - Stefan’s best friend, Matilda. Who can the thief be?! Everyone has their theory and Mr Starch, the hotel manager, is ready to point the finger at a baking saboteur.
Just in time, Matilda discovers the recipe has been snatched by the Duchess of Delaunay's dog, who has used it to make a cosy nest for a surprise litter of puppies. All is forgiven and the competition resumes. Stefan wins the prize and Matilda gets the respect she deserves from the very patronising local police department.
Borrow A Mystery at the Incredible Hotel →
Impossible Creatures, by Katherine Rundell
Christopher is visiting his reclusive grandfather when he sees an avalanche of mythical creatures come tearing down the hill. This is how he learns that his grandfather is the guardian of one of the ways between the non-magical world and the Archipelago, a cluster of magical islands where the creatures we tell of in myth live and breed and thrive alongside humans. They have been protected from being discovered for thousands of years; now, terrifyingly, the protection has worn thin, and creatures are breaking through.
Then Mal appears in Christopher's world. She is in possession of a flying coat, is being pursued by a killer and is herself in pursuit of a baby griffin. Mal, Christopher and the griffin embark on an urgent quest across the wild splendour of the Archipelago, where sphinxes hold secrets and centaurs do murder, to find the truth - with unimaginable consequences for both their worlds.
House of Shivers, by R.L. Stine
Goosebumps returns! This series features an ALL NEW line-up of incredible villains, with iconic monsters as you've never seen them before, whose antics are destined to make them every bit as beloved as Slappy.
Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans, by Isi Hendrix
Life in the Swamplands is tough for twelve-year-old orphan Adia. Her aunt and uncle believe she is an ogbanje, a demon-possessed child thought to bring misfortune. And when Adia manifests mysterious powers, accidentally destroying her village, she starts to think they might be right. Adia flees to the faraway Academy of Shamans, hoping someone at the school can figure out what is wrong with her and fix it. But she doesn't expect to stumble across a bunch of squabbling deities with a secret.
Joining forces with a snarky Goddess, a 500 year old warrior girl and a status-obsessed soldier boy, Adia goes on a mission through hidden realms to save her kingdom. But if she is to succeed, she must learn to wield her mysterious powers and figure out who she really is.
Borrow Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans →
Oh Maya Gods!, by Maz Evans
A new adventure set in the world of Who Let the Gods Out?.
The world's worst-behaved immortals are at it again! Meet Vesper, the bossy, football-mad daughter of Elliot Hooper, and super-bright Aster, son of Constellation, Virgo. Off they head to the Maya underworld, where Kizin and his Lords and Ladies of Death are messing with astronomy, chocolate and human sacrifice.
The Final Year, by Matt Goodfellow and Joe Todd-Stanton
Life can be tough in your last year of primary school. Tests to take, preparing for the change to high school. Nate is ready for it all, knowing his best friend PS is at his side - they've been inseparable since Nursery. But when they are put in two different classes and PS finds a new friend in Turner, the school bully, Nate's world turns upside-down.
As he struggles to make sense of this and forge new friendships, he's dealt another blow when his youngest brother, Dylan is rushed into hospital. His new teacher, Mr Joshua, sees a spark inside of Nate that's lit by his love of reading and writing and shows him how to use this to process what's going on. But with so much working against him, and anger rising inside him, will this be enough?
Gods and Monsters: Mythological Poems, by Ana Sampson and Chris Riddell
People all over the world have always told each other stories. And from the very earliest times, many of these stories were told in verse. This collection of 150 poems includes retellings and reimaginings of Roman, Greek, Ancient Egyptian, Norse, Celtic, Aztec, Mayan and Inca mythology. You will meet gods, monsters, tricksters, heroes, magical creatures and objects, magicians and spirits including Medusa, Icarus, Loki, Osiris, the Minotaur, Pegasus, Bunyip, Kukulcan, Cerberus, Merlin, Beowolf and Mjolnir and there are asides and footnotes to shine a light on stories themselves.
Where Are You Really From?, by Adam Rutherford and Emma Norry
Who do you think you are? Have you ever thought about who you might be related too? What if we told you that you were related to vicious Vikings, Roman emperors, great kings and feisty queens? Well, your majesty, you are. In fact, everyone is. And geneticist Adam Rutherford is here to tell you why. On this extraordinary adventure through millions of years of human history, young readers will learn the story of our species. They will meet kings and queens. They will see how humans migrated far and wide around the globe. And they will discover that no matter what skin colour you have, language you speak or place you are from - we all share the same small pool of ancestors.
Borrow Where Are You Really From? →
Life, by Elli Woollard and Dorien Brouwers
From tiny dots of microscopic bacteria to enormous dinosaurs, through Ice Ages and the gallop of evolution, Elli Woollard's lyrical text is a pitch-perfect blend of storytelling, science and wonder. Life will fascinate and entertain the curious child, with Dorien Brouwers' immersive artwork heightening the beauty and inspiring awe in readers young and old.
Hear Our Voices: Powerful Retelling of the British Empire Through 20 True Stories, by Radika Natarajan and Chao Tayiana
An essential introduction to one of the largest empires in human history, told from the perspectives of 20 people who lived through it.
An Atlas of Afterlives: Discover Underworlds, Otherworlds and Heavenly Realms, by Emily Hawkins and Manasawee Rojanaphan
What happens after we die? This difficult question has fascinated people for thousands of years. 'An Atlas of Afterlives' sets out to explore and explain the many underworlds, otherworlds, heavens and hells believed in by cultures from across the world, throughout history. From paradise gardens to fiery kingdoms, from shadowy isles of the dead to ghostly galleons on an eternal voyage, these visions of eternity are fascinating examples of human creativity and storytelling.
Organised by continent, this book will take you on an eerie journey to discover legendary places from different mythologies. Each lavishly illustrated spread invites you into a different realm of the dead, with deities, demons and other details drawn from historical sources ranging from ancient Egyptian scrolls to Chilean folklore.
Borrow An Atlas of Afterlives →
Super Sports Stars Who Are Changing the Game, by Rick Broadbent and Alexander Mostov
Discover 20 incredible true stories of sporting legends. Incredible facts about each sportsperson's life and times are accompanied by bright and accessible illustrations, making this book ideal for young children wanting to learn about amazing athletes who through their achievements and action on and off the pitch have changed the world for the better.