Welcome to our monthly book recommendations for April 2026! When you’re not sure whether to expect rain or shine, it’s always smart to have a book on hand. Here’s what we’ve been reading over the past month!
Fiction
Feather Vane – Beth O’Brien and Ayesha L. Rubio (pub. HarperCollins Children’s Books)
Greeth-Under-Edge is under siege, with magical creatures making the villagers’ lives impossible.
When the Enchantress sent to help is removed, it’s up to her children, twin trainee-sorcerers Creirwy and Morfan, to banish the creatures once and for all.
To succeed they will need to make an age-old near impossible potion, journeying into terrible danger to reach the desperately needed ingredients with no certainty of success. The twins must overcome disbelief and prejudice from others to gain help in completing their task.
Being based on a Welsh folk tale, you could really feel the magic of the story. We also liked how the chapters alternated between the two children, giving you a real feel for their characters and how they think.
It’s a breath-taking and enchanting adventure filled with daring, friendship, and two siblings facing impossible odds, together.
The next two books share a theme of upheaval and putting down new roots.
The Green Kingdom – Cornelia Funke, Tammi Hartung and Melissa Castrillon (pub. DK Flip)
Caspia finds herself uprooted for the summer when her Dad takes a job in Brooklyn, far from their home in Maine. She’s already dreading the noise and bustle of the city, and missing her friends.
So when she finds a pack of letters tied together with a velvet ribbon in an old dresser, Caspia is drawn to read one. Each contains an intriguing botanical riddle, and it isn’t long before she’s visiting shops and talking to people in her search for answers.
As new friendships bloom and her summer is filled with new experiences, can Caspia bring her old and new lives together before the holiday ends?
Solving the riddles of the different plants gave us a real sense of connection to the story and the setting, especially given that this cosy read is character-driven, rather than about adventure.
A beautiful, gentle tale that is full of the love of nature and the possibility of finding friendship in unexpected places.
Death By Chocolate: Coco Bean Investigates – Anna Brooke and Emily Jones (pub. Chicken House)
Coco’s parents are following their dream of opening a hotel in rural France, taking Coco (who doesn’t even speak French) with them.
The problem is that the dilapidated Hotel Framboise is already occupied by the ghost of famed chocolatier Monsieur Framboise…who has no intention of sharing his home.
Knowing that the ghost might have some unfinished business, namely who murdered him, Coco and her new friend Louis agree to help solve the mystery in exchange for Framboise’s culinary skills. The clock is already counting down to the hotel’s Easter opening – can Coco and Louis make sure that it goes ahead?
Like the previous book, this one is a cosy read, though obviously with a dash of the supernatural. The descriptions of the different chocolate recipes definitely had our mouths watering, despite having a murder to solve!
It’s a cracking but well-balanced mystery full of mayhem, hidden secrets and delicious characters. We can’t wait until Coco’s next investigation!
Non-fiction
This Book Will Make You A Scientist – Dr. Sheila Kanani and Ellen Surrey (pub. Nosy Crow in collaboration with the University of Cambridge)
The latest book in the This Book Will Make You series covers scientists from the many and varied branches of science across history.
The book starts with explaining about laboratories where scientists conduct their experiments, before leading on to the equipment required including safety information and basic science skills.
The book goes through 25 scientists and experiments, each experiment explained with clear step by step instructions, though some are obviously easier than others! For example, Tesla’s static electricity can be shown using a plastic comb, a woolly jumper and running water, while Krafft’s erupting volcano needs more equipment and adult supervision.
With colour illustrations throughout, this is an ideal book for budding scientists of all kinds, and with the summer holidays on the horizon it’s a brilliant way of keeping children engaged and occupied in a fun and educational way.
Graphics
Secret Agent Nessie: Monster On a Mission! – Gary Chudleigh and Laura Howell (pub. Kelpies)
This is a fantastic, laugh-out-loud addition to the ever-widening catalogue of graphic novels for younger readers.
If you haven’t guessed it yet, the secret agent alluded to is none other than Nessie the Loch Ness Monster and she isn’t alone! Her W.E.T (Water Espionage Team) friends are Bea the beaver and genius inventor, and Jelly, a jellyfish armed with a powerful sting. Together it’s their job to protect Loch Ness from whatever may happen.
In this mission, they’re up against a gang of chip-thieving seagulls who are terrorising Coo’s fish and chip shop. But who are these dastardly birds working for, and why are they after all the chips?
The bright and hilarious illustrations capture the characters and action perfectly, making for a wonderfully silly read. And don’t forget to check out the how-to-draw of the evil genius Nugget, along with the guide to Scottish words in the back!
The Super-League of Super Scientists and the Ignoramus Blob – Anna Claybourne and Luke Seguin-Magee (pub. Wayland Books)
Are you looking for a new STEM graphic novel series full of real historical scientists who are not just brilliant but have superpowers? What about a story with a bunch of aliens whose king has decided that Earth will make the perfect holiday home – once the present occupiers have been dealt with?
If that sounds like your thing, well this is the graphic novel for you!
Join Einstein, Darwin, Curie, Hypatia, Kuo and others as they try to outwit the aliens and their ignoramus blob in this colourful, fun and fast-paced science adventure. With biographical details and scientific facts, this is a great way to introduce young readers to some of the smartest scientists who ever lived, even if the setting is less than historically accurate!
Watch out for their next adventure ‘The Super-League of Super Scientists and the Time-Travelling T.Rex’ coming in July.
Picture Books
Monkeypig – Huw Aaron (pub. Puffin Books)
Molly lives in the jungle with some monkeys. They have fun and play silly games in the treetops, but none of the monkeys know Molly’s secret – that she is actually a pig!
The problem is Norman, the head monkey, has noticed a non-monkey scent in the treetops and is determined to find the impostor.
Can Molly pass the tests and keep her secret safe?
We loved the way that Molly was completely accepted by the monkeys, who happily joined in with her in her mishaps. With brilliant illustrations, especially of the lovable main character, this book shows you don’t all have to be the same to be one of the monkey tribe!
The Royal Request – Monika Singh Gangotra and Mirna Imamovic (pub. Owlet Press)
Grandad’s mango cake is famous, causing people to start queuing outside the family’s small bakery early. But today, the bakery is thrown into uproar when a request arrives from the Palace for a delicious mango cake for the Queen’s peacock.
Soon the grand cake is made and loaded on the cart pulled by their horse Cinnamon, but will Grandad, his grandson Ari, and the cake get to the Palace for the party?
With villagers giving them conflicting advice and a broken cart wheel, Ari and Grandad start to doubt they can get there on time, but with determination and a dusting of spice we’re sure they can make it!
It’s a charming story that highlights the magical relationship between grandchildren and grandparents, all wrapped in gorgeous illustrations that really capture the journey and the sumptuousness of the cake.
Together with a cardamom-spiced mango cake recipe in the back, this book is a real tasty treat!
Matisse and the Runaway Rabbit – Georgia Larson and Iratxe López de Munáin (pub. LOM Art Books)
Normally you’d be worried if a curious rabbit entered your studio and started to hop around. But Matisse finds that the little bunny isn’t there to cause trouble – instead it’s to add magic to his painting, and an extra special something to a cut-out composition that just wasn’t going right!
This is a wonderful introduction for young readers into the world of great artists and their works. The pictures capture the bright and stimulating colours and style of Matisse’s paintings perfectly, together with the double-page gallery of Matisse’s varied art at the back.
If you enjoy this, then you’ll be pleased to know that it’s the third book that brings animals into the world of great artists – look out for the others already out, Monet’s Cat and Van Gogh’s Dog!
That’s it for April’s recommendations – join us on Threads/Instagram, Bluesky, or Twitter/X, and let us know what you’ve been reading!
If any of the books have grabbed your attention, then you can pick up a copy of them via our recommendations list below.
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If you’re looking for more book round-ups, check out our previous reviews here.
