Reading opens the door to endless possibilities, and in this special edition dedicated to children’s books, we’re celebrating the magic of stories that inspire, educate, and shape young minds. Books play a vital role in a child’s development—improving language skills, life lessons boosting creativity, and fostering a lifelong love for learning. Whether it’s an adventure-filled tale or a heart-warming classic, every book holds a lesson waiting to be discovered.
We’ve handpicked some wonderful children’s books from Goodreads, where you can explore reviews, summaries, and reader favourites. Click on any of the book covers to read more and find the perfect story for your child!
A Wolf Called Fire: Rosanne Parry and Mónica Armiño
Warm is the smallest pup, the one his father calls the heart of the pack. But all Warm sees is his bigger brothers Sharp and Swift, even his sisters Pounce and Wag, winning all the wrestling matches. Just as Warm is finding his place, enemy wolves destroy and scatter the pack. Warm helps lead the pups away from the fight, only to find himself alone with four pups to defend and feed. Can he be both the heart and the head of a new pack? Does he have to choose the aggressive leadership style of his father and brothers? Or is there another way?
A Wolf Called Fire is a stand-alone companion novel to A Wolf Called Wander. It’s inspired by Wolf 8, a real Yellowstone wolf who was the smallest of his pack and constantly bullied by his bigger brothers. Wolf 8 survived a tumultuous first year and grew up to be a different sort of leader—one who fought many rival wolves to submission but never killed any. He had a rare talent for mentoring young wolves and became the patriarch of the largest and most successful pack in Yellowstone by choosing a more collaborative and generous leadership style.
Bea Mullins Takes a Shot: Emily Deibert
A League of Their Own meets The Mighty Ducks in this fierce and heartfelt queer MG contemporary novel about learning to face your fears even when your goals are on thin ice.
Some goals are worth falling for.
After a lifetime of humiliating sports experiences, Bea Mullins knows the best way to survive middle school is to stick to the side-lines. When PE is suddenly cancelled, though, Bea is forced to join an after-school activity...which is how she ends up as a member of the Glenwood Geese, her middle school's first all-girls hockey team.
Bea would be happy sitting on the bench, but she doesn't want to let down her best friend, Celia. Plus, the more time Bea spends on the rinks, the more she comes to enjoy her teammates, especially the incredibly talented--and incredibly cool--co-captain Gabi. But when low funding puts the Geese in danger of never playing again, Bea realizes she may lose everything she didn't know she wanted.
Sea Legs: A Graphic Novel: Jules Bakes
Set sail for adventure! Dive in to this hilarious and moving graphic memoir about friendship, growing up, and life at sea.
Janey's family is about to set sail for the adventure of a lifetime! The only problem? Janey must leave her school, her life, her best friend, the entire country behind for new adventures ― coral reefs, colourful markets, and new cultures. Life at sea is exhilarating, but there’s a major downside: when you’re raising anchor every few days with sights on a new harbour, it’s almost impossible to make new friends.
Finally, Janey meets the cool and aloof Astrid ― a fellow boat kid who’s equally starved for friendship. But Astrid can be a challenging friend to navigate, and beyond that, hurricane season has only just begun . . . .
Tear This Down: Barbara Dee
From Barbara Dee, the critically acclaimed author of Maybe He Just Likes You, comes a novel about a girl who makes the choice to speak out against a problematic historical hometown figure no matter the cost—perfect for readers of Dress Coded.
For as long as Freya can remember, she has loved living in her cosy hometown of Wellstone. Not only is the town itself named for local and historical hero Benjamin Wellstone but everything in schools, beaches, and stores. There’s even a giant statue of him to remind everyone of the good things he did.
But while doing research for a big school project, Freya discovers that Benjamin isn’t the big hero everyone has been taught to believe. He had some redeeming qualities, but he also held incredibly problematic views towards women, believing they shouldn’t have the right to vote—or even to exist outside of the home. Disappointed by her revelation, Freya wonders if she could figure out a way to not only show what the hometown hero was really like but replace his statue with one of an unsung local suffragette Octavia Padgett.
Though Freya knows not everyone will agree with her, she is shocked when her efforts cause even bigger issues than she could have imagined. Even her own parents seem uneasy with Freya’s cause. With the help of her beloved Nan, friends new and old, and the coolest librarian she’s ever met, can Freya stand firm and tear down outdated views?
Oasis: Guojing
JieJie and her little brother, DiDi, are living on their own in a barren desert while their mother works tirelessly to earn their admission into Oasis City. Their days are filled with weathering sandstorms and scavenging for water, but everything changes when they come across an AI-powered robot lying dormant in an abandoned junkyard.
Filled with equal parts hope and suspense, Oasis tells the story of a potentially not-so-distant future that you won’t ever forget.
Halfway to Somewhere: José Pimienta
New school, new country, but only half a family?! Embark on a coming of age journey with a middle school teen navigating their parent’s divorce while moving to a new country in this stunning graphic novel.
Ave thought moving to Kansas would be boring and flat after enjoying the mountains and trails in Mexico, but at least they would have their family with them. Unfortunately, while Ave, their mom, and their younger brother are relocating to the US, Ave's father and older sister will be staying in Mexico...permanently. Their parents are getting a divorce.
As if learning a whole new language wasn't hard enough, and now a Middle-Schooler has to figure out a new family dynamic...and what this means for them as they start middle school with no friends.
Hope in a Jar: Deborah Marcero
In this companion to the acclaimed and bestselling picture books In a Jar and Out of a Jar, a little bunny and his friends collect their hopes and dreams for the future in jars.
Llewellyn the bunny and his friends dream of many things. Some of their dreams are small, like learning to ice skate, visiting a friend, or acting in the school play. And some of their dreams are big, like going to the moon, or becoming a ballet dancer or a wildlife photographer. Their dreams feel so precious that the bunnies place them in jars for safekeeping. But when a storm comes and destroys their collection of jars, Llewellyn and his friends wonder: what's the point of dreaming if everything could be lost?
This timely, powerful, and beautifully illustrated story of perseverance and resilience explores setbacks, loss, and grief, and shows how—with the help of friends and loved ones—to find the strength to start again.
Saphie the One-Eyed Cat Volume 1: Joho
The hilarious hit Webtoon is now a graphic novel! Join Saphie the One-eyed Cat and her fellow house cat siblings as they zoom, scratch, and nap their way through life. It's purr-fect for fans of Pusheen!
What exactly does a one-eyed cat do all day? Well, there's running, knocking things over, scratching things you're not supposed to, terrorizing your brothers, messing with your owner, stealing food, and generally causing mayhem left, right, and centre!
Saphie the One-Eyed Cat is a hilarious look at the life of a cat that knows what she wants -- and what she wants is to mess around!
Bitsy Bat, Team Star: Kaz Windness
Bitsy Bat is a star student and the only fantastic flier at Crittercrawl Elementary…until a new nonspeaking student named Enzo Owl arrives and outflies her during recess. Bitsy worries her friends won’t think she’s special anymore, so she’s determined to beat Enzo in the upcoming Critter Games and prove she’s the better flier.
But when her friend Mo needs help during the race, Bitsy must choose between winning and being a star teammate. And while she’s at it, she just might discover that making a new friend is more special than any trophy.
Knight Owl: Christopher Denise
A determined Owl builds strength and confidence in this medieval picture book about the real mettle of a wits, humour, and heart.
Since the day he hatched, Owl dreamed of becoming a real knight. He may not be the biggest or the strongest, but his sharp nocturnal instincts can help protect the castle, especially since many knights have recently gone missing. While holding guard during Knight Night Watch, Owl is faced with the ultimate trial—a frightening intruder. It’s a daunting duel by any measure. But what Owl lacks in size, he makes up for in good ideas.
Full of wordplay and optimism, this surprising display of bravery proves that cleverness (and friendship) can rule over brawn.
