Imogen Carter

From a four-legged celebration of the seasons to a fiery tale of women who turn into dragons, our critics look back over the year and pick their favourite titles for children and young adults

Insects and entomologists inspire two creepy-crawly tales, and a polar bear gets lost in the big smoke

Rose Tremain and JJ Bola become the latest novelists to turn their hands to writing for young children with tales about a magical metal bird and a boy overcoming his anger

A joyful introduction to the power of art, plus doggy-popping delights and a Julia Donaldson jaunt

Benji Davies returns with more coastal charms, lonely animals find acceptance – plus Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s tale about a toddler

From a bear who stockpiles dreams to a sisterhood of knights via a tiger sea captain, our critics pick their favourite titles for children and young adults

A fantastical celebration of dim sum, Tim Hopgood’s update of a 19th-century poem and a feline sleuth in a hoodie tracks down a missing bird

Bashful cats and lonely ponies stalk the pages of this month’s choices

From the tale of a dog taking a much-needed beach break to a fact-filled dive into the monsters of the deep – and an ode to the skies above

Letters between Van Gogh and his brother Theo inspire a delightful biography. Plus, new releases from big-hitters Oliver Jeffers and David Litchfield