We are now a quarter of the way into the 21st century – a good time to update my crowd sourced list of the hundred best modern children’s books.
A lot has changed since 2019 when I polled thousands of users on Twitter (RIP). Most notable is the emergence of books reflecting the lives of a far broader range of contemporary children, whether by ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability or neurological difference.
I hope this list provides a good introduction to the incredible riches now available to young people of all ages. Below you’ll find books about heroic dogs, killer cows and fugitive foxes. But let’s begin with those most slippery of creatures…
Don’t Trust Fish! by Neil Sharpson and Dan Santat (2025)
Masquerading as a factual book about animals, Neil Sharpson’s debut picture book quickly morphs into a paranoid screed about the innate untrustworthiness of fish. It’s bad enough that they’re impossible to categorise – gills or lungs? Salt water or fresh water? Choose one, for the love of god! But it appears these nasty tricksy creatures may in fact be plotting our downfall. Don’t Trust Fish! has been compared to two other picture books on this list – B.J. Novak’s classic of parental humiliation, The Book With No Pictures and Jon Klassen’s deadpan masterpiece I Want My Hat Back. But Sharpson has a distinctive, careworn voice that’s all his own and which contrasts brilliantly with Dan Santat’s zingy illustrations.
Thunder City [Mortal Engines series] by Philip Reeve (2024)
Nominated by Liz Hyder, author of Bearmouth
“Philip Reeve is extraordinary. One of the finest storytellers in the world, I genuinely believe he’s incapable of writing anything that isn’t outrageously brilliant. Thunder City is a prequel to his hugely popular Mortal Engines series but it doesn’t matter if you know that or not. Ultimately, it’s got all the hallmarks of a Reeve novel, characters that leap off the page and straight into your heart, a storyline that is fascinating and thought-provoking, and a plot that rockets along at a rate of knots. It’s also deeply wonderfully funny. Much as I love Philip Pullman, I often think we celebrate the wrong Philip. If you like your fantasy whip-smart and effortlessly thrilling, read this and prepare to be bewitched by the glorious Tamzin Pook and her myriad adventures.”
Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald (2024)
I Am Rebel by Ross Montgomery (2024)
King of Nothing by Nathanael Lessore (2024)
Apocalypse Cow by O. R. Sorrel (2024)
The City of Stolen Magic by Nazneen Ahmed Pathak, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat (2023)
Nominated by Clare Harlow, author of Tidemagic
“City of Stolen Magic follows Chompa, who, when her mother is kidnapped, must travel from Bengal to London and discover the truth about their magic – magic which Chompa has always been forbidden from using. It’s a thrilling tale of adventure and family and history, underpinned by a magic system that had me spellbound. The writing is gorgeous, and topics like colonialism are tackled in way that is accessible without pulling any punches. In short, a must-read, even for those cynical souls who mistakenly believe they have outgrown children’s books.”
Safiyyah’s War by Hiba Noor Khan (2023)
What the World Doesn’t See by Mel Darbon (2023)
The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow (2023)
Nominated by Dom Conlon, poet and author
“The number of children who own books or even read continues to decline. The Final Year calls out to those lost readers, urging them to return. Following ten-year-old Nate in his difficult final year at primary school, the book examines themes of self-expression, home life, and friendship. Nate and his friends are ordinary heroes many will identify with and learn from. The Final Year is a verse novel written in their language, showing their lives. It represents, it champions, and it speaks to a new generation in ways which make Matt Goodfellow one of the most important writers of this century.”
Tyger by SF Said, illustrated by Dave McKean (2022)
Nominated by Sophie Anderson, author of The House With Chicken Legs
“Tyger is breathtaking; an epic, richly layered, historical dystopian fantasy adventure that explores complex themes of identify, belonging and the very essence of what it means to be human; a contemporary classic that draws on the past to create something powerful enough to shape the future; a book to be both swept away by, and to study and discuss deeply. Truly, a masterpiece.”
Skandar and the Unicorn Thief [series] by A. F. Steadman (2022)
Needle by Patrice Lawrence (2022)
Fight Back by A. M. Dassu (2022)
Nominated by Louie Stowell, author of Loki: A Bad God’s Guide
“Fight Back is a powerful story about children facing racism together. What I love about this book is that A. M. Dassu always remembers the radical notion – that children are people, with complexities and flaws – and the main character, Aaliyah, isn’t just a brave hero standing up to racism, she’s a fully realised human, full of fear and doubt and all those knotty, nuanced aspects of character that makes her feel utterly real.”
Amari and the Night Brothers by BB Alston (2021)
Twitch [series] by M.G. Leonard (2021)
Grimwood [series] by Nadia Shireen (2021)
The Valley of Lost Secrets by Lesley Parr (2021)
The Climbers by Keith Gray (2021)
Nominated by Lesley Parr, author of The Valley of Lost Secrets
“What I always love about Keith Gray’s writing is that it’s quietly powerful and deceptively simple. The Climbers is no exception – a gripping story about the rawness of friendship from a master of teenage voice.”
When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle (2021)
The Last Bear by Hannah Gold, illustrated by Levi Pinfold (2021)
A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll (2020)
Bunny Vs Monkey [series] by Jamie Smart (2020)
October, October by Katya Balen, illustrated by Angela Harding (2020)
Nominated by Lucy Strange, author of The Secret of Nightingale Wood
“Timeless themes, a fresh, original story, and a writing style so unique and exciting it crackles like electricity. October, October is a landmark book and it belongs absolutely to the children of today and tomorrow.”
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder [series] by Holly Jackson (2019)
The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper, illustrated by Carson Ellis (2019)
High Rise Mystery [series] by Sharna Jackson (2019)
Bearmouth by Liz Hyder (2019)
Nominated by Lucy Cuthew, author of Blood Moon
“Every now and then a book comes along that completely blows your mind. Bearmouth was one of those books for me. Newt’s voice is instantly arresting, leaping off the page as though he’s speaking straight to you. He is illiterate and the whole novel is penned in his brilliantly logical spelling, but there’s more to his voice than this. He is a fighter, striving among other things to learn to read and write. We quickly love him, root for his survival, for him to beat the system. The storytelling is tight, fast paced, laced with tension, hope and love.”
Lark [series] by Anthony McGowan (2019)
The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson (2018)
The Light Jar by Lisa Thompson (2018)
The Infinite Lives of Maisie Day by Christopher Edge (2018)
The Blue Book of Nebo by Manon Steffan Ros (2018 / 2022)
Nominated by Christopher Edge, author of The Infinite Lives of Maisie Day
“As a child of the 1980s who grew up reading post-apocalyptic novels such as Z for Zachariah and Brother in the Land, it’s perhaps no surprise that I’m nominating The Blue Book of Nebo by Manon Steffan Ros as one of the best children’s books published this century. However, it’s the stark beauty of the storytelling and the sheer power of the prose that elevates this novel above so much contemporary dystopian fiction and makes it a modern classic in my book.”
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (2018)
The Skylarks’ War by Hilary McKay (2018)
Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf (2018)
Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love (2018)
Inspired by the real life Mermaid Parade which happens every June in New York’s Coney Island, Julian is a Mermaid celebrates a gender-nonconforming child exploring their identity through joyous self-expression.
Bone Talk by Candy Gourlay (2018)
Letters from the Lighthouse by Emma Carroll (2017)
Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend (2017)
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (2017)
The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane, illustrated by Jackie Morris (2017)
Nature writer Robert Macfarlane and artist Jackie Morris’s book is a true passion project, rhapsodising about the disappearing words used to describe our natural world. This big, beautiful book inspired one reader to launch a crowdfunding campaign that put a copy in every Scottish primary school.
Wed Wabbit by Lissa Evans (2017)
Who Let the Gods Out? by Maz Evans (2017)
Crongton Knights by Alex Wheatle (2016)
Nominated by SF Said, author of Tyger
“Crongton Knights was a breakthrough book for one of Britain’s greatest 21st Century novelists. It won the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize in 2016, dazzling readers with its beautifully poetic, rhythmic, distinctive language. It felt at once urgently contemporary, yet utterly timeless. It was a breakthrough for children’s and YA literature too. Wheatle was a path-breaking author who opened up a space for many other voices that had previously been unheard, unrepresented, unpublished. His loss this year was a devastating blow, but his legacy lives on in his books, his example, and in the wonderful TV adaptation of Crongton.”
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo (2016)
There May be a Castle by Piers Torday (2016)
The Legend of Podkin One-Ear [series] by Kieran Larwood, illustrated by David Wyatt (2016)
Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo (2016)
The Girl of Ink & Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave (2016)
The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge (2015)
Science, superstition and gothic grand guignol combine in Frances Hardinge’s Victorian fantasy masterpiece. One of children’s fiction’s best drawn heroines embarks on a quest to uncover the fate of her father aided by a tree that feeds on her lies.
The Boy in the Tower by Polly Ho-Yen (2015)
A Song for Ella Grey by David Almond (2015)
One by Sarah Crossan (2015)
The Bear and the Piano by David Litchfield (2015)
The Murderer’s Ape by Jakob Wegelius, translated By Peter Graves (2014)
This elegantly illustrated Swedish gem follows the globetrotting adventures of a sentient ape called Sally Jones as she travels the world and attempts to clear the name of her comrade, The Chief. An exciting, affecting and beautifully designed book.
Five Children on the Western Front by Kate Saunders (2014)
The Imaginary by A. F. Harold and Emily Gravett (2014)
Oi! Frog [series] by Kes Gray, illustrated by Jim Field (2014)
The Book With No Pictures by B. J. Novak (2014)
Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell (2013)
This richly poetic historical fantasy is steeped in classic children’s literature and positively brims with enthusiasm for the medium. The Parisian setting is particularly enticing. While there are few places on earth left to explore, the hidden world inhabited by Rundell’s rooftopping thrill seekers offers readers a tantalsing glimpse of freedom that is just above theirs heads.
Lockwood and Co. – The Screaming Staircase [series] by Jonathan Stroud (2013)
The Storm Whale by Benji Davies (2013)
Black Dog by Levi Pinfold (2013)
A picture book of the old school, Black Dog is piece of pure craft painstakingly created with layers of egg tempera. It’s packed with so many delicious details, that you really have to hold the physical object to fully appreciate it. Author and illustrator Levi Pinfold appears elsewhere on this list for his striking work on Hannah Gold’s The Last Bear.
Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas (2012)
The Fault in our Stars by John Green (2012)
Wonder by R.J. Palacio (2012)
Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner (2012)
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness and Siobhan Dowd, illustrated by Jim Kay (2011)
The most popular book in my original poll by some margin, A Monster Calls is about a boy dealing with the terminal illness of his mother. Intensely powerful, it is the product of three brilliant creators; Ness, who has another classic in the top ten wrote the book based on an idea from the late Siobhan O’Dowd, author of the London Eye Mystery. Jim Kay is on art duties and his visceral black and white images become one with the text to produce an overwhelmingly immersive experience.
Life, an Exploded Diagram by Mal Peet (2011)
The Brilliant World of Tom Gates [series] by Liz Pichon (2011)
I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen (2011)
I love this list. Nestling incongruously among the dystopian drama and blockbuster kidlit franchises is a hilariously deadpan picture book about a bear in search of his hat. Jon Klassen went on to pen two more hat based mysteries and completed a trilogy to rival the Hunger Games or Skandar.
Hilda and the Troll [series] by Luke Pearson (2010)
The Knife of Never Letting Go [series] by Patrick Ness (2008)
The Hunger Games [series] by Suzanne Collins (2008)
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (2007)
The Arrival by Shaun Tan (2006)
It filled my heart to see so much love for this astonishing work of art. The story of an immigrant arriving in an unnamed city that is part US metropolis, part sci-fi dreamworld. Entirely wordless, this is a moving meditation on struggle and the power of community.
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The End [Series] by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Brett Helquist (2006)
My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick (2006)
You’re a Bad Man, Mr Gum! [Series] by Andy Stanton and David Tazzyman (2006)
There probably aren’t enough funny books on this list: no Wimpy Kid, Dog Man or Captain Underpants. This is the best of the bunch though, a riot of surreal humour and wild wordplay, accompanied by David Tazzyman’s suitably gonzo illustrations.
Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers (2005)
Once [series] by Morris Gleitzman (2005)
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (2005)
Framed by Frank Cottrell Boyce (2005)
This list could be filled with books by Frank Cottrell Boyce, the thinking child’s David Walliams. This is my personal favourite, a story about the power of art, family and community set in post industrial north Wales.
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief [series] by Rick Riordan (2005)
Alex Rider: Scorpia [series] by Anthony Horowitz (2004)
Wolf Brother [series] by Michelle Paver (2004)
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff (2004)
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (2003)
A massive success at a time when books for children were crossing over into the adult sphere. This first person account of a boy with undisclosed ‘behavioural problems’ was followed by a raft of YA novels that focused difference not disability.
Lirael [series] by Garth Nix (2003)
You Choose by Pippa Goodheart, illustrated by Nick Sharratt (2003)
How to Train Your Dragon [series] by Cressida Cowell (2003)
Inkheart [series] by Cornelia Funke, translated by Anthea Hunt (2003)
Varjak Paw by S.F. Said, illustrated by Dave McKean (2003)
Coraline by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Dave Mckean and Chris Riddell (2002)
Coraline is a fusion of the best bits of Lewis Carroll and Roald Dahl matured in Gaiman’s own imagination for over a decade. Strange and unsettling but also magical and funny this was the author’s first novel for children and remains his best.
Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn (2002)
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (2001)
Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson (2001)
Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman (2001)
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler (2001)
The only author on the list with a dedicated section at WHSmith TGJones, Julia Donaldson’s tale of a witch and her broom taxi service is among the very best. Sublime rhymes and delicious artwork by Axel Scheffler make this every bit as memorable as the Gruffalo.
Tyger Tale 