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

Fun songs and exciting immersive touches delight children and adults alike in a lively picture book adaptation from actor Cush Jumbo and Katy Sechiari

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

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

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

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

A magical zebra, fat cats in lockdown and a bus-riding chipmunk star in this month’s round-up

This year, the Children’s Book Council of Australia has created a new set of awards judged by 2,000 children around the country. We meet some small judges with big opinions