Nine of the best children’s books for summer 2023
Recommended reads for the school summer holidays
- 1. One Chance Dance
- 2. Anchored
- 3. Can You Get Rainbows in Space?
- 4. The Adventures of Billy Shaman: The Rage of the Sea Witch
- 5. The House with a Dragon in It
- 6. Prehistoric Beasts
- 7. Stolen History: The Truth About the British Empire and How It Shaped Us
- 8. Stateless
- 9. The Case of the Lighthouse Intruder
1. One Chance Dance
by Efua Traoré
An exhilarating tale about children working together to help each other on the streets of Lagos. Ages 8-12.
Chicken House, 336pp, £7.99; theweekbookshop.co.uk
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
2. Anchored
by Debra Tidball and Arielle Li
This comforting picture book about a big ship and a little tugboat focuses on the themes of separation and reunion, and how we carry thoughts of our loved ones with us wherever we go. Ages 0-5.
EK Books, 32pp, £10.99; theweekbookshop.co.uk
3. Can You Get Rainbows in Space?
by Dr Sheila Kanani, illustrated by Liz Kay
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
A stylish book covering a dazzling array of topics from astronomy to zoology, and answering questions such as why some animals glow in the dark. Ages 7-9.
Puffin, 128pp, £14.99; theweekbookshop.co.uk
4. The Adventures of Billy Shaman: The Rage of the Sea Witch
by Roland Chambers
The first in the series, this is the story of Billy, who is transported to the frozen north 2,000 years ago. It is narrated by a giant tortoise and has quirky illustrations. Ages 5-8.
Zephyr, 176pp, £7.99; theweekbookshop.co.uk
5. The House with a Dragon in It
by Nick Lake, illustrated by Emily Gravett
Foster child Summer is having lunch one day when a sinkhole appears in the sitting room, leading to a host of adventures. This is a magical wish-fulfilment novel with lovely illustrations. Ages 8-12.
Simon & Schuster, 240pp, £12.99; theweekbookshop.co.uk
6. Prehistoric Beasts
by Dr Dean Lomax, illustrated by Mike Love
A pop-up book focusing on less-familiar prehistoric creatures. Each double-page spread features a regular animal alongside its ancient ancestor. Ages 3+.
Templar, 16pp, £16.99; theweekbookshop.co.uk
7. Stolen History: The Truth About the British Empire and How It Shaped Us
by Sathnam Sanghera, illustrated by Jen Khatun
Filled with references to popular culture, this is an engaging guide to the empire, covering everything from the history of HP Sauce to the source of the word “zombie”. Ages 9+.
Puffin, 208pp, £8.99; theweekbookshop.co.uk
8. Stateless
by Elizabeth Wein
This cleverly constructed murder mystery from the author of “Code Name Verity” is narrated by 17-year-old Stella, the only female pilot in an air race in 1937. Ages 12+.
Bloomsbury, 400pp, £8.99; theweekbookshop.co.uk
9. The Case of the Lighthouse Intruder
by Kereen Getten, illustrated by Leah Jacobs-Gordon
The first story in the Di Island Crew Investigates series features a gang of easily distracted child detectives looking into a mysterious shadow on an island off Jamaica. Ages 5-8.
Pushkin, 224pp, £7.99; theweekbookshop.co.uk
-
Argentina’s Milei buoyed by regional election winsSpeed Read Argentine President Javier Milei is an ally of President Trump, receiving billions of dollars in backing from his administration
-
Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan adspeed read The ad that offended the president has Ronald Reagan explaining why import taxes hurt the economy
-
Political cartoons for October 27Cartoons Monday's political cartoons include improving national monuments, the NBA gambling scandal, and the AI energy vampire
-
Roasted squash and apple soup recipeThe Week Recommends Autumnal soup is full of warming and hearty flavours
-
6 well-crafted log homesFeature Featuring a floor-to-ceiling rock fireplace in Montana and a Tulikivi stove in New York
-
Film reviews: A House of Dynamite, After the Hunt, and It Was Just an AccidentFeature A nuclear missile bears down on a U.S. city, a sexual misconduct allegation rocks an elite university campus, and a victim of government terror pursues vengeance
-
Book reviews: ‘Gertrude Stein: An Afterlife’ and ‘Make Me Commissioner: I Know What’s Wrong With Baseball and How to Fix It’Feature Gertrude Stein’s untold story and Jane Leavy’s playbook on how to save baseball
-
Rachel Ruysch: Nature Into ArtFeature Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, through Dec. 7
-
Music reviews: Olivia Dean, Madi Diaz, and Hannah FrancesFeature “The Art of Loving,” “Fatal Optimist,” and “Nested in Tangles”
-
Gilbert King’s 6 favorite books about the search for justiceFeature The journalist recommends works by Bryan Stevenson, David Grann, and more
-
Ready for the apocalypseFeature As anxiety rises about the state of the world, the ranks of preppers are growing—and changing.