I was working with some year 3 teachers recently and we were exploring the concept of emotion expressed through tears while planning to use ‘The Tear Thief’ by Carol Ann Duffy. It is said that humans are the only species that cry tears of emotion; a uniquely human act. And this prompted me to ponder what it actually means to be human and – ultimately – how to be a good human being. Having a sense of humanity toward others is always a good starting point; learning new knowledge and having the desire to learn; taking lessons from history; experiencing hope and disappointment; feeling joy or feeling glum; leaving our comfort zones or staying within them; reading, listening, absorbing… arguably all this – and more – makes us human. This month’s selection of books all have evocative themes, ripe for exploration with and by children, around being human and human states of being: dreamers such as Martin Luther King; adventurers who have actively taken the decision to become a pessimist; characters to challenge gendered traditions and, in stark contrast, a book about Artificial Intelligence and how young humans might manage this.  

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Ravi’s Dancing Hands, by Sumana Seeboruth and Sayani Mukherjee

Picture Book
(Faber & Faber, 8th October 2026)

Ravi and his big sister live with their auntie and the whole family is preparing for a wedding… which means a mehndi party. Ravi is so excited, but his hopes are dashed when he’s told that the party is only for girls and so he won’t be having henna hands. The unfairness! Ravi – he reasons – is the one who’s closest to his sister and he doesn’t want to waste any time before she marries then leaves. But when Madam-Mehndi arrives to prepare for the party, she kindly allows Ravi to be her helper and Ravi learns that henna hands are indeed for everyone. A joy-filled book about identity, excitement and the keenly felt human emotion when one is excluded. Perfect for children in year 1 and year 2.

Reviewed by: Pippa McGeoch

How to Scare Blue Monster, by Petr Horáček

Picture Book
(Otter-Barry Books, 3rd September 2026)

Being scared is an emotion that probably connects us, rather than separates us, from the animal kingdom. In this story, we follow Blue Monster. He’s big and booms through the forest. His fellow creatures often cower when he approaches and ask him why he scares them. But Blue Monster can’t comprehend what it means to be frightened.

The animals of the forest develop all sorts of cunning plans to make him jump, hiding under leaf piles and leaping out from beneath sheets. But nothing seems to work. Until… they all disappear. All of a sudden, Blue Monster starts to feel a little… well… scared at the prospect of being completely alone.

The illustrations are wonderful. Mixed-media and richly layered, they reward close attention, revealing myriad textures: sponge prints, crayons, stamps, and collaged paper leaves. It’s a world where doodles seem to have sprung to life. The artwork feels wonderfully human-made, inviting us to pore over the pages and spot every brushstroke, crayon scribble and stamp mark that make up a wonderful whole.

Reviewed by: Alice Wood

Goodnight Silver, by Abi Elphinstone and Olivia Lomenech Gill

Illustrated Novel
(Simon and Schuster, 27th October 2026)

For readers already familiar with the exciting yet tender offerings of Elphinstone and for readers new to the Scottish-born author, comes a brand-new adventure. Emmy’s mum – an aspiring author – has won a writing competition that sees Emmy and her parents on what should be the adventure of a lifetime, to Mongolia. Sadly though, Emmy is a self-declared pessimist. An event in her past has led this young girl to become hopeless. Cautious. ‘It is dangerous to hope, a little voice inside her warned.’ So, in her protective bubble of fear, she doubles-down; battens down the hatches because if you expect things to go wrong, you can’t be disappointed, right? But then Emmy has a chance encounter in a mysterious storm … is it possible that the little cub Emmy meets could heal Emmy’s trauma and allow her to hope once more?

Beautiful, moving and evocative. Elphinstone’s writing is gorgeously literary while holding the reader through plot and characterisation. Lomenech Gill’s artwork is stunning and – perhaps due to her background in theatre – truly captures the soul that lies within this book. Perfect for children in year 5 and 6 and would be an excellent recommendation for those who’ve enjoyed The Unforgotten Coat and The Last Bear due to the many crossovers in theme, plot and setting.

Reviewed by: Pippa McGeoch

Corpse talk: Dead, Famous and Very Chatty, by Adam Murphy 

Comic Book
(DFB Phoenix, 8th October 2026)

At first glance, one might be mistaken that this is a zombie-themed story. But in this comic, presented in the style of a chat show, we are taken on a hilarious but also highly informative journey through time from 384BC to 1968: Aristotle to Luther King Jnr. The different lives of several, now-deceased, famous humans from wildly differing eras are explored and their achievements (some of which would be the cause of infamy today) as well as a glittering array of gossipy-style titbits are utterly fascinating. 

‘Dead famous’ people of note featured in this incredible non-fiction/fiction hybrid comic include, but are not limited to: Spartacus, who sets the host straight when he explains just how ‘not awesome’ gladiator school was; Mongolian wrestler, Khutulun… a powerful princess who lived the nomadic life of her subjects in-spite of her social standing and Pocahontas’ story, who, our host realises has been somewhat altered by the romantic ideals of Disney …

Several very different humans, living as humans lived in the various different time periods. Perfect for non-fiction bookshelves in school libraries and class book corners!

Reviewed by: Pippa McGeoch

How to understand and apply AI! A Kids’ Toolkit for Navigating the World of Artificial Intelligence, by Sam Hutchinson and Ste Johnson

Non-fiction
(b small, 1st October 2026)

Although the theme of this month’s review is around being human and what it is to be human, we felt that this brilliant hew book from b small publishers was the perfect fit seeing as it explores the good, the bad and the potentially ugly side of AI, explored in a balanced and rather reassuring way. 

The technical ‘how it works’ side of AI is set out in accessible terms and there are links to humans in history who’ve been instrumental in technological advancement such as Alan Turing. There’s an exploration of bias and how it can come to the fore if AI hasn’t been trained from a wide enough number of perspectives. There are sections on what the benefits of AI are and could be but also a matter-of-fact explanation of what the consequences could be if used for nefarious reasons. Broad, balanced and with a ‘words to know’ box on every page, this would be perfect for children in lower key stage 2… also great for sparking debate with children! 

Reviewed by: Pippa McGeoch

Rapunzel is a Lettuce: Poems to Grow With, by Joseph Coelho and Shirley Hottier

Poetry Collection
(Otter-Barry Books, 3rd September 2026)

Joseph Coelho’s latest collection feels like a wonderfully wacky poetry laboratory: an exploration of just how many things a poem can be, as the former Children’s Laureate toys with words and form. The energy of his process courses through the pages – an effect only heightened when reading the poems aloud, with their varied rhythms and rhyme schemes.

 In this month’s review, we’re thinking about what makes us human, and this collection captures so much of that experience, from everyday moments like the walk to school to the solar system we gaze up at and spin stories about. Separated into sections such as food, family and journeys, the collection embraces life’s gloriously sprawling (and sometimes messy!) nature. Shirley Hottier’s playful illustrations bring further fun to each page. A wonderful creative pairing, who bounce off one another’s energy to bring us a book that is genuinely joyful and decidedly HUMAN.

Oh - and did we mention a beautiful introduction from Michael Rosen?!… a real ode to the power of poetry to transport, and an appetite whetter for the word feast that follows...

Reviewed by: Alice Wood

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