Books of the month archive

Looking for something to read?

Have a look at our 2026 "books of the month" to find your next read.

January 2026

For adults

The Slimming Foodie, Ultimate Comfort Food by Pip Payne

The Slimming Foodie Ultimate Comfort Food book. The cover shows a top-down view of a table covered with healthy, tasty food.

Comfort food with calorie-saving twists. With 100 recipes, from make-ahead lunches and easy traybakes to crowd-pleasing family dinners, there is something to suit every mood and occasion. Each recipe is simple to make using everyday ingredients and includes a full nutritional breakdown.

For children

I'm (Mostly) Happy Being Me by Anna Milbourne

The cover of "I'm (Mostly) Happy Being Me". It shows an illustration of a little boy with dark hair wearing glasses and a yellow jacket.

A sweet and reassuring story for young children to remind them to be happy just being themselves. A little boy comes to realise there's a lot more to a person than just what they're good at. There are hundreds of things that make you you - from being able to touch your nose with your tongue to your love of riding a bike, even if you are a bit wobbly. 

February 2026

For adults

Next Time Will Be Our Turn by Jesse Sutanto

Book cover: "Next time will be our turn" by Jesse Sutanto. The cover features a simple blue and pink background with an illustration of palm trees in the top corner, and two tacos at the bottom.

This love story explores family, sacrifice, and soulmates. When 73-year-old matriarch Magnolia Chen arrives at a Chinese New Year celebration with her girlfriend, her granddaughter Izzy is intrigued rather than shocked. As Magnolia shares her past, Izzy begins to see love, loyalty, and family in a new light.

For children

The Awesomely Adventurous Librarians by Donna David, illustrated by Victoria Stebleva

The cover of "The Awesomely Adventurous Librarians" by Donna David. It shows a small girl swinging from a vine with a net trying to catch a flying book.

In Sleepy Creek Library, living stories have to be retrieved from the Land of Books. Rida loves helping her grandad in the library, but when Arun asks for a book so adventurous no one has ever caught it, Grandad can't help. Rida journeys to the Land of Books to find the story herself.

March 2026

For adults

Proof: The Uncertain Science of Certainty by Adam Kucharski

A book cover with a yellow background and a black magnifying glass. The subtitle "the uncertain science of certainty" is shown inside the glass.

How do we know what’s true and and how can we persuade others? Statistician and epidemiologist Adam Kucharski examines how proof has evolved from the medieval Islamic world to the modern pandemic era. He reveals how truth is shaped and sometimes distorted in science, law, politics and everyday decisions.

For children

Science Experiments at Home by Susan Martineau

A bright red cover showing a diverse range of children doing different science experiments.

Explore the science in everyday life with these simple, step-by-step experiments to do around the home. Each activity takes a complex, scientific concept and makes it easy for kids to understand. Young scientists will enjoy discovering the science behind the simple phenomena all around them.

April 2026

For adults

Illuminated: autism and all the things I've left unsaid by Melanie Sykes

For Autism Awareness Month, Melanie Sykes helps us understand how autism can go unrecognized, particularly in women. She highlights how years of masking can impact identity and wellbeing. By sharing her late diagnosis, she encourages greater empathy, challenges stereotypes and promotes acceptance of neurodiversity in all its forms.

For young adults

Fall down 7 times, get up 8: a young man's voice from the silence of autism by Naoki Higashida

Naoki Higashida offers a personal, accessible look at autism from his perspective as a young adult. In brief reflections, he describes how everyday situations - from sudden changes to noticing the rain - affect him, aiming to deepen understanding and encourage others to see those with disabilities as people, not problems.

For children

Remarkable Remy by Melanie Heyworth

Remarkable Remy is a warm and optimistic story that introduces an autistic character to a young audience. The story helps explain the autistic brain - how it works a little differently and how unique it is - and how our neurodivergent friends make the world remarkable.

May 2026

For adults

Illustrated book cover titled “The Paris Match” by Kate Clayborn, showing a colorful Paris street scene with buildings, shopfronts, and balconies

The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn

A poignant and romantic novel. Layla travels to Paris for her former sister-in-law’s wedding, where she must face her ex and the life she left behind. When the bride gets cold feet, Layla teams up with the groom’s best man, Griffin, to bring the couple back together. As they spend time navigating Paris and the wedding chaos, Layla and Griffin confront their own past heartbreaks and begin to wonder if they might deserve a second chance at love themselves.

For young adults

Mark my words by Muhammad Khan

Fifteen-year-old Dua Iqbal has always had trouble minding her own business. With a silver-tongue and an inquisitive nature, a career in journalism seems fated. When her school merges with another to form an Academy, Dua seizes her chance and sets up a rival newspaper, exposing the controversial stories that teachers and the kids who rule the school would rather keep buried.

For children

Colourful illustrated book cover titled Operation Hyperkitty by Stuart Heritage, showing cartoon cats in action with bold yellow and red lettering

Operation Hyperkitty by Stuart Heritage

Discover the newest book in this brilliant full-colour, illustrated series. Perfect for reluctant readers aged 6+, and for fans of Bunny vs Monkey, Dog Man and The Investigators. The ODD Squad are here for another epic (or maybe just epically silly) adventure! Quack Attack, Detective Octopus and Invisidog have a new recruit - Hyperkitty. She’s cute! She’s unbelievably fast! She also spends a lot of time on her phone. And actually, isn’t very good at being part of a team.