Must Read Kids Books for June 2025

Maklik om te gebruik kiekeboe skuifblaaie, oulike gesigte en ‘n
verrassingsspieël-einde kombineer in hierdie stylvolle interaktiewe
bordboek vir babas en kleuters! Met ‘n totaal van 10 gladde meganismes om
op elke bladsy te stoot, trek of draai. Om gesigte te herken en kiekeboe te
speel is van die eerste speletjies wat babas speel en dit is hoekom die heel
jongste kinders van hierdie oulike boek sal hou – en dit weer en weer sal wil
lees!

The Very First You is a book on embracing uniqueness and recognising the joy that individuality brings to the world.

It’s not just the shape of your nose or your ears, or the way you laugh and sing, it’s the combination of all these elements that make you unique.

From the social media sensation Scott Stuart, who rocketed to fame after posting a video of himself and his son both dressed as Frozen’s Elsa, comes this must-have picture book for all young readers.

Encompassing children from different backgrounds and told in humorous rhyme, The Very First You is a bright, bold and completely irresistible read-aloud book.

Nobody has ever smiled your smile,
or ran the way that you run.

The chances of you being born as you are
were 400 trillion to one.

Liz is sure that her next-door neighbour has a secret. He’s got a very long neck, clumpy feet and a strange taste for green leaves… he’s a dinosaur! Unfortunately, she’s not the only one who’s noticed. When Mr Wilson is taken away by scientists, Liz realises that everyone is free to live the life they wish and she must help save her friend.

A delightful book perfect for children aged 3+
· A beautiful story about acceptance and letting people live the life they want
· Written and illustrated from the prize-winning and best-selling author of The Bear and the Piano, Grandad’s Secret Giant and Kid Christmas
· Young children will love being in on the secret that Mr Wilson is a dinosaur!

“The Dinosaur Next Door brilliantly combines the joys of dinosaurs and cake… I promise you’ll be rooting for Mr Wilson” – The Guardian

The first HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON book ever! Read the book that inspired the new DreamWorks live-action film How to Train Your Dragon, coming in 2025.

So begins Cressida Cowell’s stories about a little Viking who cannot fit in. Unlike his dad, Stoick the Vast, Hiccup is tiny, thoughtful and polite and scared of almost everything – especially of going to sea for the very first time.

But go he must . . . so who will save the day when everything goes wrong aboard ship and all the big Vikings lose their cool?

This wonderfully witty fable will delight all those who have ever faced up to their worst fears.

A hilarious rhyming retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen classic, The Princess and the Pea, with a modern twist!

“There’s something I heard in a very old tale – a test you can do that will work without fail.
Under her mattress I’ll slip a small pea. A princess who’s perfect will feel it, you see.”

Prince Fred decides it’s time he got married – to a genuine proper perfect princess. His best friend, Prince Zac, warns him that such a bride might be hard to find . . .

Enter Princess Ardwenna, who turns up at the palace to ask for shelter from the storm. Prince Fred can’t believe she’s a real princess – she’s not fussy or proud AT ALL – so Ardwenna decides to play a trick on Fred, involving one little pea and a whole pile of mattresses!

But Prince Fred might not need a princess after all. Perhaps his own handsome prince has been there all along . . .

This irresistible retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fable defies traditional fairy tale conventions. With a pitch perfect rhyming text by bestselling Peter Bently, and gloriously detailed illustrations by award-winning Claire Powell, it is an unmissable treat.

Hey you! Yes, you! Do you like DONUTS?

Well, you’re in luck! Because here’s a BRAND-NEW, addictive, laugh-out-loud series from comics genius Neill Cameron!

‘Epic! Hilarious! Explosive! A sweeping tale of colourfully-glazed greatness, as ridiculous as it is brilliant, this could well be the most important book of your life! Onwards, donuts!’ Jamie Smart, creator of Bunny vs Monkey

Ever wondered what donuts get up to when they’re not being eaten?

No, because that would be silly! But it turns out, donuts have BIG PLANS FOR WORLD DOMINATION!!!

Meet Sprinkles, the leader of the Squad; Jammyboi, who spreads stickiness EVERYWHERE; Dadnut and Lil’ Timmy, who explain obscure facts, and Spronky, who is bizarrely unconventional! But don’t mention the arch-nemeses of the donuts . . . the bagels, secretly plotting Donut Squad’s doom!

Brought to you by comic powerhouse The Phoenix, this hilarious new series features all the characters from the comic strip that readers know and love. It’s full of crazy humour and mouthwatering full-colour illustrations that will keep readers going back for seconds!

Coming June 2025

Take a closer look inside a shark with this incredible board book with see-through acetate pages.

Have you ever thought about how amazing sharks are? What happens underneath their skin? How do they breathe underwater? And how many species live in our world today?

Children will love discovering the answers with fantastic see-through pages and clear, friendly text. With labelled acetate diagrams covering everything from skin and muscles to secret senses, this is a fantastic first look at sharks for curious children everywhere.

From pumping blood to making babies, The Shark Book is an exciting way to explore all the amazing things these creatures can do.

Build Freddie Flyer and his awesome toy remote-controlled plane before setting off across the city for a series of hilarious adventures.

Complete the activities, read the comics and have a go at the fun quiz. It’s all in a day’s work for an ace pilot!

LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Minifigure and the Brick and Knob configurations are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2024 The LEGO Group.

In the magical city of Nevermoor, long-buried secrets are coming to light, and Morrigan Crow’s life is about to turn upside down.

When Morrigan is invited into Nevermoor’s wealthy Silver District, she discovers a world of extravagance and a family mystery she’s eager to unravel. She could never imagine where it will lead: a white wedding, a golden dragon and a red pool of blood.

Embroiled in suspicion and danger, Morrigan leaps head first into a murder investigation, while also grappling with her ever-growing Wundersmith powers. And although her friends are there to help, she fears that could change if they learn she’s keeping a terrible secret of her own.

As shadowy forces awaken in Nevermoor, can Morrigan find a killer and solve the mystery in her own past … before the clock strikes midnight?

Jessica Townsend weaves a spellbinding tale of magic and mystery in this thrilling new installment of the Nevermoor series, winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and with film rights sold to Fox.

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is a smallish Viking with a longish name. Hiccup’s father is chief of the Hairy Hooligan tribe which means Hiccup is the Hope and the Heir to the Hairy Hooligan throne – but most of the time Hiccup feels like a very ordinary boy, finding it hard to be a Hero.

In the first How to Train Your Dragon book Hiccup must lead ten novices in their initiation into the Hairy Hooligan Tribe. They have to train their dragons or be BANISHED from the tribe FOR EVER!

But what if Hiccup’s dragon resembles an ickle brown bunny with wings? And has NO TEETH? The Seadragonus Giganticus Maximus is stirring and wants to devour every Viking on the Isle of Berk . . .
Can Hiccup save the tribe – and become a Hero?

Hope House is more than just a building – it’s a place of magic and mystery. . .

When Amal and her family unexpectedly inherit the enchanted clifftop home, they can’t believe their luck. But their joy is short-lived when a mysterious couple arrives, claiming the house is theirs and giving Amal’s family just thirty days to pack up their stuff and leave before they demolish it completely.

The clock is ticking, and Amal is determined to save Hope House from destruction. How will she unravel the secrets of the house and its mysterious benefactor in time to save it?

A page-turning, lyrical mystery with a magical twist, perfect for fans of Matt Goodfellow, Onjali Q. Raúf and Disney’s Encanto. Featuring accessible text in verse and beautiful illustrations throughout.

A sweeping YA fantasy inspired by indigenous Igbo culture from the Sunday Times bestselling author – dibias, deities, magic and a twin hunting down her kidnapped brother.

We had done and survived unimaginable things. Our world was so much bigger than our town, the river full of crocodiles, and these forests we’d grown up in. There was an entire sea out there to prove it.

Somadina and her twin brother, Jayaike, are practically the same person: they finish each other’s sentences and make each other whole. When the twins come of age, their magical gifts begin to develop, but while Jayaike’s powers enchant, Somadina’s cause fear to ripple through her town.

Always an outsider, Somadina now faces blatant – and dangerous – hostility. And things go from bad to worse when her brother, the one person she trusted, vanishes. Somadina knows that no matter the dangers, she must track him down. Even if it means entering the Sacred Forest. Even if it means gruelling, otherworldly travel she may not survive. Even if it means finding the hidden places where those closest to the spirit world don’t dare to go.

Does Somadina have the strength – within both her body and her soul – for the trying journey ahead?

Sunday Times bestseller Akwaeke Emezi masterfully weaves a tale of identity, family, and the power of the past, in a world where the extraordinary is ordinary.

The unputdownable, unforgettable thriller from bestselling author Julie Soto, perfect for fans of A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER and THIRTEEN REASONS WHY.

Jodi never asked to be a Thrasher – a member of the high school elite. But Jodi has been best friends with Zack Thrasher her whole life, and like it or not, that means she’s branded a Thrasher by the rest of the school. And different as she feels to the other four Thrashers – all talented, privileged and beautiful – she can’t help appreciating her social status, especially compared to her violent home life.

But being a Thrasher isn’t worth dying for – except, apparently, it was to Emily Mills. Sweet but intense Emily, whose fixation on Zack brought her close to the in-crowd, but never close enough. Emily, who took her own life on prom night.

When a detective finds a copy of Emily’s diary, there are whispers that she was ‘Thrashed’ – bullied to death by Zack and his gang. They are arrested, charged, and ostracised, their once bright futures extinguished. Then begin the texts from unfamiliar numbers, inexplicable light flares, the run of bad luck that becomes a string of near-fatal accidents… and the constant dreams of Emily.

But something isn’t adding up. The diary is too convenient. In fact, it’s filled with Jodi’s own secrets, repurposed by Emily. But why?

One thing is clear. Emily isn’t done with the Thrashers.