Welcome to the first Reading Matters newsletter of 2025 and I hope that everyone had a happy and healthy Christmas holiday. Happy New Year to you and I hope that 2025 is a good year for you and your families. This round up includes both a look back at the best of 2024 and a preview of some books we can look forward to at the start of this new year. There are events and resources too so why not settle down and explore.

If you have not read my monthly round ups of news before I hope that this newsletter gives you the excuse to sit down with a cuppa, relax and catch up with what you may have missed during a busy time of year.

What I’m reading…

You would hope that the Christmas holiday would have resulted in some free time to enable me to make some progress with the numerous books sitting on my ‘to be read’ shelves. Alas, not really! However I would like to share some great books that I did manage to find time to read since my last newsletter. The World Between the Rain by Susan Cahill illustrated by Holly Ovenden is a magical portal story that also conveys ways in which people may cope with grief and loss. It is an absorbing and, ultimately, comforting read. This is a stunning debut and one that I am glad that I have read. I would recommend this as a purchase for secondary school libraries and think that it would appeal to fantasy lovers of about 12+.

Another book, for a much younger age group, but also conveying a thoughtful exploration of dealing with emotions is the picture book, Ebbs and Flows. Written by Sarah Surgery and illustrated by Gozde Eyce this lovely story follows a little girl named Pia as she navigates her changing emotions throughout the day. Sarah Surgery cleverly describes the natural rhythms of a day and the facial expressions of the different emotions experienced by the little girl are captured well by Gozde Eyce. This would be a helpful book to prompt conversation about feelings, either in the classroom or in the home. It may also enable young children to have a greater understanding of their own responses to situations and an empathy with others’ changing emotions too. It is published by Brilliant Monster Books and you can find out more about their books on their website.

Barrington Stoke have several books being published over the coming weeks and I have reviewed three that were published this week. Each of them are written by established and popular authors, and would, I think, encourage potential bookworms. Created by Vashti Hardy, Gill Lewis and Jenny Pearson with illustrations by Agnes Saccani, Irina Avgustinovich and Aleksei Bitskoff they will also appeal to a range of tastes.

Regular readers of Reading Matters will know that I enjoy sharing books with my 2 year old grandson and now sometimes include his recommendations too. Thanks to Veronica Price’s review of Tatty Mouse Christmas we have been enjoying that over the festive period. His bedtime favourites continue to include all the Zeki series by Anna McQuinn and Ruth Hearson which he loves and takes into bed with him, and also Goodnight, Everyone by Chris Haughton which is re-read up to four times a night at the moment. Last but not least Peepo by Allan and Janet Ahlberg is enjoyed by both grandson and son often. I like the balance between the old and new in the little chap’s library.

News, articles and resources…

The end of 2024 saw the publication of several ‘best of’ book lists and I have included a few here that may be useful to you.

Just Imagine Reviewers’ Books of the Year 2024 – Just Imagine reviewers have selected their favourite books of the year 2024. The selection can be viewed in video format and as a list with links to the full reviews.

The best children’s books of 2024, chosen by top authors and illustrators – Book Trust asked authors and illustrators including BookTrust’s Writer in Residence Patrice Lawrence, Axel Scheffler, Emma Carroll, Nathanael Lessore and Rashmi Sirdeshpande among others the question: What is your favourite children’s book published in 2024? Follow the link above to find out which books they chose!

TOPPSTA 100 Must Read Children’s Books of 2024 – sorted into age categories these are the top rated books reviewed by readers on the TOPPSTA website.

The best children’s and YA books of 2024 – From a boy on a snowy midnight adventure to a gothic family caper via a young offender inspired by poetry, the Guardian children’s book critics pick their favourite titles of the year

BBC Radio4 Children’s Book Club 2024 – Each year a panel recommends children’s books on different themes and for different age groups and will feature old favourites, classics, new releases, books you can borrow from the library and books to delight the whole family. This year’s suggestions from Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Cressida Cowell are worth a look.

Books for Topics Teachers’ Favourites for 2024 – Books for Topics invited teachers to vote for their best classroom read-alouds, the books that were the biggest hit with pupils and the top books to support the curriculums. The books that their community of teachers and librarians voted as their favourites in the various categories can be found on the website linked above. Thank you to Alison Leach founder of Books for Topics.

Books For Topics Ones to Watch: New Children’s Books Spring 2025 – turning to 2025 this is a tempting overview of some great titles being published over the next couple of months chosen by Books for Topics.

The Reader Teacher: January 2025 Children’s Books I’m Most Excited About – Scott Evans is back with his monthly video highlighting a selection of children’s books being published this month. There are picture books, fiction and information books included.

The Literacy Year Calendar – this excellent resource created by Sian Hardy at The Literacy Hive is a mine of useful information and links to resources. It will help you to plan around forthcoming events, competitions, awards and special days and weeks highlighting aspects of literature and literacy.

Holocaust Memorial Day 2025 -The National Literacy Trust has teamed up with award-winning author Tom Palmer to produce free resources for use in the classroom or at home, to help schools commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day. Secondary teachers and students (ages 11 to 14), are invited to join a free online commemoration event featuring award-winning writer, Tom Palmer, author of After The War in conversation with Holocaust survivor, Alfred Garwood and Child survivor, Antoinette Mutabazi. The online event takes place Monday 27 January10.00am to 10.45am. There are also accompanying free resources available to download for use in the classroom.

Children’s and teens roundup: the best new picture books and novels – Sibling rivalry, a massive shark, anti-Nazi resistance in Norway, a brilliant romcom, and a tale of power and betrayal are among the latest selection of new books for children chosen by Imogen Russell Williams.

Inclusive Books for Children Awards 2025 Longlist – this longlist was announced shortly after the December Reading Matters and the shortlist will be revealed on 20th January. The IBC Awards recognise the best new inclusive children’s books published in the UK across three categories: books for babies and toddlers (aged one to three), picture books (for ages three to seven) and children’s fiction (for ages five to nine). Definitely an award worth following so do please have a browse of the titles in the various categories via the link above

The invisible problem with children’s books: Julian Gough on bridging the gap between reading picture books and young fiction/chapter books – this is an interesting and thought provoking article in The Irish Times by the author of the popular Rabbit and Bear series. As a former school librarian I know how important these ‘bridging books’ are in a child’s reading development and even more importantly in encouraging their enjoyment of reading.

There are three great online events in January hosted by Just Imagine in their An Evening In series of events suitable for teachers, librarians and adults who are interested in children’s literature:

An Audience with P J Lynch – This event takes place on January 9th at 7:00 pm. P. J. Lynch is an acclaimed Irish artist and illustrator of children’s books. He was the fourth Irish Children’s Laureate from 2016 to 2018. Amongst his awards are two Kate Greenaway Medals and three Christopher Awards. In this special event we will be celebrating P J’s contribution to children’s literature. I have never heard this celebrated illustrator in an interview before and am very much looking forward to this.

We Love Poetry! -Join Nikki Gamble on January 16th at 7:00 pm as she discusses all things poetry with Stephen Lightbown, author of CLiPPA shortlisted And I Climbed And I Climbed, James Carter, who will talk about his new book Boing!, and Sarah Ziman, who will talk about her debut poetry collection Why Did My Brain Make Me Say It? And Simon Lamb A Passing on of Shells completes a strong line-up.

Animal Characters and the Development of Empathy – Join Nikki Gamble on January 23rd at 7:00 pm as she talks to Gill Lewis, Ben Garrod, Emma Chinnery and Nicol Baker about writing animal fiction and what it offers young readers.

David Fickling Books and The Phoenix comic announce an epic new comic-book imprint, The Phoenix Comic Books, launching in January 2025 – There will be a The Phoenix Comic Books launch as part of the 2025 Waterstones Family Festival, followed by a year-long programme of events and workshops linked to the new imprint. A key element of the launch is the announcement of The Phoenix Comic Club, an exciting comics community for readers, where they can access drawing, writing, and comic-creation tutorials from a wide range of brilliant artists and comic creators. You can find out more on the via the Love Reading4Kids article linked above or on the Phoenix Comic website.

National Storytelling Week – this annual event will take place from Saturday 1st February to Sunday 9th February and the theme this year is ‘Reimagine your world’. We are urged to be aware that the most extraordinary story can come from the most ordinary place if we use our imaginations. The National Literacy Trust have organised online storytelling workshops for a range of age groups and created resources to accompany them. You can find out more and sign up for the workshops via the link to the NLT website above.

The Island of Brilliant: By the Fireside: join Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Nadia Shireen in the January episode of their podcast where they discuss what is happening in the world of children’s books. I haven’t had a chance to listen to this episode yet so have it earmarked for the weekend.

Finally, some book reviews that caught my eye recently…

I Follow the Fox by Rob Biddulph – a new title from this popular creator of picture books is always welcome and I Follow the Fox’s setting in the snow makes it perfect as a winter read. This lovely review by Lucy Staines for Books for Keeps has encouraged me to seek it out. “The mix of magic and family is just right, the sense of danger and loss perfectly balanced with the comfort and security of home.” 

The Misadventures of Mina Mahmood – School Trip! by Farhana Islam, illustrated by Simran Diamond Singh – following the publication of the latest Reflecting Realities Report by CLPE is it helpful to read reviews that feature representative children’s fiction. This great review by Veronica Price of a book due to be published in April is worth a read and you may wish to put the book on your wish list for when it comes out. “Farhana Islam absolutely nails the pacing, humour and peril to create a highly entertaining story for middle grade readers. The addition of illustrations throughout by Simran Diamond Singh as well as the eye-catching typography, makes this a book that readers from age 8 and upwards will choose to read for pleasure…”

The Expanding World of Data by Tom Jackson Illustrated by Ekaterina Gorelova and Ana Seixas – a new title in the series from OUP Very Short Introductions for Curious Kids which explores what data is and how it is a bigger part of our lives than we may realize. In his helpful review for Just Imagine teacher Stephen Connor says he found this book, “enjoyable, hugely informative, and easy to access. It would certainly sit well in older primary classes, and definitely in Key Stage 3, and could work well in history, maths, philosophy and sociology lessons.”

That’s everything for this first round up of 2025 and I hope that you have found it useful. Since my usual first source of children’s book related news has faltered recently, (Twitter was great for this, X is less so in my experience) I have found it a little trickier to track down items and updates but this collection should, I hope, give you at least a taste of what is occurring.