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Small Monster, Big Monster by Allan Sanders, Phaidon, £7.95
Refrigerator is EMPTY. Monster is FULL (of pizza!). An eye-wateringly bright board book, featuring splendidly zany, toddler-pleasing pairs of opposites.

The Flying Machine of Dreams by Kate Wakeling, illustrated by Viviane Schwarz, Otter-Barry, £12.99
A delectable picture-book collaboration that perfectly distils the wonder of the everyday, from the textures of a leaf to a squishy-cushioned den. Wakeling’s irresistible poetry is richly heightened by Schwarz’s sweet, strange illustrations.

The Weather Shop by Thomas Lee, translated by Deborah Smith, Do Re Mi, £12.99
Translated from Korean, this intricate, inviting, Scarryesque picture book features a shop full of rain balloons, cloud pillows and snow sprays (and a sunshine scarf to warm everyone after the blizzard).

Bison Rule, OK! by Sarah Ziman, illustrated by Nia Havilliard, Otter-Barry, £8.99
What annoyed Big Sister this week? What’s the cure for everything in the school medical room? And what’s so good about having a bison as your friend? Witty, satisfying, resonant and fun, this enticing poetry collection will tempt a range of 6+ readers.

African Queens by Onyinye Iwu, Walker, £12.99
From Hatshepsut, the pharaoh her successors tried to erase, to Amanirenas, the Sudanese queen who fought the Romans and won, these strikingly illustrated stories of bold and fearless African rulers will grip 7+ history buffs.

The Palace of Facts by Kate Olesin, illustrated by Andy Smith, What on Earth Books, £22
This gigantic, spectacularly colourful nonfiction treasury is crammed with 400 facts, displayed in the Hall of Mirrors, the Fossil Hall, the Aquarium, the Maze (“The world’s largest maze, in Yancheng, China, is designed in the shape of an elk”) and many more. A rainy-day delight for trivia mavens of 7 or 8+.

Stableheart: Helping Hero by Nicci Johnson, S&S, £7.99
Sad to leave her foster parents and the pony she loved to ride, Pres isn’t yet ready to trust her Aunty Janelle, or form a new bond with the rescue pony at the city stables. But what if he really needs her? This heartwarming, layered, readable story will please 8+ horse lovers and Jacqueline Wilson fans.

How to Steal the Future by Christopher Edge, Macmillan, £7.99
At the heart of a dangerous, ever-changing maze hides the Avenir, a mystery with the power to unlock the future. Drew is looking for his sister Evie, who disappeared during her own attempt to reach the centre. As the traps and puzzles get deadlier, can Drew find Evie and save his own future before time runs out? A high-concept, brain-twisting 9+ thrill ride from the author of Escape Room.

Wilomina: The Land of Dreams and Nightmares by John Chalmers and Sandra Marrs, Scholastic, £9.99
On her way to visit Mum in hospital, a weird train ride strands Wilomina in a parallel world of dreams, where she befriends a talking cat, seeks out a mysterious library, and begins metamorphosing into a ferocious werepire. Fabulously odd, with a colour scheme of visceral purples and lurid greens, this surreal, gripping graphic novel will appeal to 9+ Ghibli fans.

My Name Is Zayn by Fidan Meikle, Floris, £7.99
After a long, dangerous journey fleeing the Taliban, Zayn is wrenched away from his best friend Samim when their dinghy sinks in the English Channel. Sent to a hotel housing other asylum seekers, Zayn’s attempts to start a new life are disrupted when his roommate disappears … A standalone companion to the award-winning My Name Is Samim, this moving, compelling 10+ story of courage and adaptability shines a searchlight on the asylum system and gangs who prey on vulnerable children.

Traitors’ Nest by Frances Hardinge, Macmillan, £16.99
In the kingdom of Thaletal, castles move as a Great Game is played, disrupting the lives of ordinary people. When teenage Burr’s village is threatened by an ominous new castle, a coup attempt backfires and Burr finds himself spirited away to an unknown corner of Thaletal. Can Burr and his sisters – and the strange heiress Burr has unwillingly kidnapped – learn to beat the players at their own Game? Humane, complex and inimitably inventive, this magnificent 12+ fantasy is yet another barnstormer from the Costa-winning Hardinge.

Cut Him Out in Little Stars by Lucy Strange, Chicken House, £8.99
When her fighter pilot fiance is shot down, heartbroken Juliet is sent to stay by the sea with her sister. But the discovery of a local girl’s body plunges her into mysteries past and present, and meeting handsome, scarred flight lieutenant Bertie Campbell complicates everything even more. Can Juliet overcome trauma and terror to risk falling in love again? This enchanting, atmospheric, poignant second world war romance is the brilliant Strange’s first foray into writing for teenagers.

Encore by Miles Toriko Burks, Farshore, £12.99
Kindergarten besties Clayton Noguchi and Aron Santos fell out in middle school; now they’ve unwillingly reunited in senior theatre class. As they navigate improv, drama games and conversations in and out of school, will they end up as friends – or something more? Based on a popular Webtoon, this funny, touching, addictive queer YA graphic novel should delight Heartstopper fans.

Hell to Pay by Lora Beth Johnson, Hot Key, £8.99
Accomplished thief Elle Fields steals secrets from the Dead, just like her brother used to, until a botched attempt cost him his soul. When charismatic stranger Rook offers her a commission promising a chance at resurrection, she can’t resist assembling her former crew for one last Afterlife heist. But there are things Elle doesn’t know about her brother’s death, or the job she’s accepted … Original and fast-paced, boasting taut characterisation and impressive emotional heft, this supernatural YA thriller will electrify Leigh Bardugo devotees.