Take a look at our new children’s book picks for October! All free to borrow with a library card.
Want more suggested books? Take a look at our recommendations.
I’m Very Busy: A (Nearly Forgotten) Birthday Book
Oliver Jeffers
It’s Bridget’s birthday, and she thinks it would be fun to spend the day with friends. But Royal has places to go, Rodney has to see a man about a dog, Regis has to wash his hair, and Pearl has a list of items she needs to cross off as quickly as she can. Bridget’s friends are all too busy to hang out! Will Bridget have to spend her birthday all alone?
In a story that shows how friends are more important than the busy-ness of a day, Oliver Jeffers’ bold and brilliant art pair with a powerful story that makes readers realize what truly matters.
My Friend, Billy Whiskers
David Litchfield
On a snowy day, while the other children play together, Patrick sits alone, but he isn’t really alone. His imaginary friend, Billy Whiskers, is always there, ready for bike rides, tree climbs, and magical adventures where Patrick’s worries can just disappear. But on this special snow day, with the help of Billy Whiskers, Patrick finds the courage to take a new adventure and say hello to real life children playing in the real life playground. Can you guess what happens next?
This heart-warming and uplifting picture book from award-winning author-illustrator David Litchfield celebrates the magic of imaginary friendship, the power of empathy, and the friends who help us grow.
How to Find a Yeti
Matt Hunt
Some people don’t believe in yetis, but this little boy does – in fact, he’s a yeti expert, and today he’s going out into the forest to find one and prove it. He searches over here and over there, up high and down low, but there is just no yeti to be found. Not today, and probably not EVER. Or is there . . . ?
Readers of all ages can join in the hunt for the elusive yeti. Can you find one?
The Diary of Wiska Wildflower
Harriet Muncaster
Wiska Wildflower is relieved when she makes friends with Cleobelle and Primrose on her first day at Inkcap’s Academy. They love Wiska’s drawings and ask her to help them design matching outfits for a special fashion show in Spellbrooke City. But the more Wiska gets to know her new friends, the more she feels she must hide her true self and follow their rules. Can Wiska find the bravery she needs to get her creative spark back and discover true friendship?
The first book in an exciting new series from the creator of Isadora Moon, Harriet Muncaster. Told in diary format and packed with beautiful full-colour illustrations, this is the enchanting story of Wiska Wildflower and her search for friendship at Inkcap’s Academy.
When the Sky Falls (Graphic Novel)
Phil Earle and Fred Fordham
1941. War is raging. And Joseph has been sent to live in the city, where bombers rule the skies. There, he will live with Mrs F, a gruff woman with no fondness for children. Her only loves are the rundown zoo she owns and its mighty silverback gorilla, Adonis. As the weeks pass, Joseph and Adonis become friends, but what will happen when the bombers set him rampaging free?
The multi-award-winning story about the incredible friendship between a young boy and a silverback gorilla in the Second World War, inspired by a true story.
How to Be a Dragonfly
DK
Follow a newly hatched dragonfly as he learns to navigate pond life and meet plenty of fascinating bug characters along the way, in this first graphic novel. Narrated by a wise old grasshopper, offering tips and tricks on how to be a dragonfly and featuring laugh-out-loud moments, this tale of pond life is a perfect introduction to dragonflies for bug-obsessed kids.
This graphic novel of garden life, made in collaboration with the Royal Entomological Society, is a perfect introduction to dragonflies for bug-obsessed little ones aged 5-7.
The Colours of Nature
Catherine Barr and Chaaya Prabhat
Did you know that rainbows are actually circles not arcs? Or that there is a lizard with lime-green BONES?
Join expert conservation author Catherine Barr and talented illustrator Chaaya Prabhat in this celebration of the treasures of planet Earth. Featuring 100s of fun nature facts and a different shade from the rainbow revealed on every page page, this book is a feast for the eyes.
The Voyage That Changed the World
Thekla Priebst
The Spice Race is on—and Captain Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition to find the treasure will change the course of history. Welcome to a bold new telling of his famed but ill-fated voyage.
This is the epic true story of the sailors who circumnavigated the Earth for the very first time, and of the people who shaped the voyage along the way. You’ll meet the Indigenous peoples who encountered the crew, and Enrique de Malacca, the Malay guide who was forced to join the expedition and influenced it in undeniable ways.
The Stories and Secrets of Colours
Susie Brooks and Sirjana Kaur
În The Stories and Secrets of Colour, young readers can explore the many meanings behind and uses for colour all over the world, from the Tuareg people of North Africa and their striking blue clothes, to why saffron is so expensive and what makes flamingos pink. Through colour, we discover amazing facts about animals and plants, learn how colours have changed the course of history and find out how different colours affect our moods and health.
Vivid, imaginative full-spread illustrations from artist Sirjana Kaur are a joyful celebration of colour and award-winning Susie Brook’s text reveals how colour is infused into every part of our lives.
My First Lift-the-Flap Dinosaur Atlas
Lonely Planet
Discover the ROARSOME world of dinosaurs with this beautifully illustrated lift-the-flap book for dino-mad kids! Take a hands-on tour through the amazing world of dinosaurs and learn about where they lived, what they ate and how they spent their days. From the terrifying T-rex to the long-necked diplodocus, you’ll find some of the biggest, mightiest and deadliest dinos inside the pages of this book – with exciting lift-the-flaps that reveal extra secrets and surprises!
Omnibird: An Avian Investigator’s Handbook
Giselle Clarkson
Have you seen a bird today? Probably, unless you’re reading this in bed. Did you notice what was really interesting about that bird? Investigating a bird is like solving a puzzle. To gather all the pieces, you look for clues: meet the omnibird.
An omnibird shares the basics of all birdlife: it was born from an egg, has feathers, two legs, a beak and gizzard, perhaps a premium feature like spurs or a curuncle. Knowing the omnibird gives you a case file of information to investigate any bird. You’ll be expert at finding extraordinary things around you, just by looking. Now you’re an omnibird expert, you’ll look at every bird in new ways every day. the pages of this book – with exciting lift-the-flaps that reveal extra secrets and surprises!
Tracks Through Time: The History of the World Told Through Animal Adventures
David Long, Rong Pham and Vinh Nguyen
For years we have explored history through the eyes of the people that lived there… but now it’s finally time to hear what the animals have to say! Get ready to journey back down the path of human history and uncover the tracks of the animals who lived through it, too.
From the greyhound who had a paw in the formation of the Church of England to the bravery of Alexander the Great’s mighty warhorse to the tiny fleas who started the black death, this is history as it’s never been told before.
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