Another month over, and another glimpse at what I read this month. 10 books, mostly for children (of course!)

Books for Children

1. 1.  Annabelle’s Little Thimble, by Enid Blyton (Sandle Brothers).  My gorgeous friend heard me speaking about how much I loved this book as a child, and tracked down a second hand copy for me.  What a gift!
   2. Wombat Waiting, by Katherine Applegate (Harper Collins, 2026). Nawww. What’s not to love about a verse novel with an animal as the main character? Wombat is a dog who has never had a home or a person until a terrible fire leads her on a journey where she touches many lives and, finally, finds her place.
   3. Aardvark Day , by Victoria Gatehouse, illustrated by Kate Lucy Foster (The Emma Press, 2026). A fun and informative poetry collection. Who knew that seahorses growl? Learning that alongside lots of fun word and animal play is a treat.
   4. Bear Rescue, by Hannah Gold, illustrated by Levi Pinfold (Harper Collins, 2026). A shorter offering, but also a lovely little sequel to The Last bear and its predecessors.
   5. All the Beautiful Things, by Katrina Nannestad (Harper Collins, 2024). I love Katrina’s historical fiction, especially the clever way she brings a child’s view inside Nazi Germany, but somehow I’d missed reading this one when it came out. Glad I’ve fixed that now.
   6. Once I was a Giant, by Zeno Sworder (Thames & Hudson, 2025). I was lucky enough to get a bit of an insider look at this book during its creation, working with Zeno as part of Scribblers on the Road two years running. So glad to finally own a copy that I can share with my students and beyond.
   7. Your Next Read Silver: Dragon Beach, by Kylie Howarth & Gus Gordon (Affirm Press, 2026). Love this new imprint – short chapter books designed get young readers hooked on different genres, authors and settings.
   8. Through the Darkening Sea, by Claire Saxby & Peter Cheong (Harper Collins, 2026). Beautiful is a funny way to describe a book about a dead whale – but really this is a book about life and how, when a whale dies and its body falls through the waters it leads a to a cycle of life.

Books for Young Adults

1. A New Kind of Beautiful, by Suzy Zail (Walker Books, 2026). This one isn’t released until August, but I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy, and am glad I did. Dealing with the changes in the life of Paige, whose carefully mapped future has been thrown into chaos by an eye condition which is robbing her of her sight.

Books for Adults

1. Saltwater in the Blood: Surfing, Natural Cycles and the Sea’s Power to Heal, by Easkey Britton (Watkins Media, 2021). Loved this. I am not a surfer, and never will be, but the beautiful exploration of the surf and of Britton’s connection to the ocean really moved me.

 

This brings my total for the year to 63, a lot fewer than in previous years, but I’m happy with the quality and have more reading ahead. I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading.