Children and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels

<p>The healing power of gardens; celebrating an abolitionist; hope in the toughest times; a gladiator romantasy and more</p><p><strong><a href="https://guardianbookshop.com/the-butterfly-house-9781839132896/?utm_source=editoriallink&amp;utm_medium=merch&amp;utm_campaign=article">The Butterfly House</a> by Harry Woodgate, Andersen, £12.99</strong><strong><br></strong>Miss Brown’s wild garden scares most people, but when Holly discovers her reclusive neighbour’s sadness, she decides to help turn the wilderness into a butterfly haven. A beautiful, moving picture book about the healing power of gardens and community.</p><p><strong><a href="https://guardianbookshop.com/the-history-of-we-9781836431411/?utm_source=editoriallink&amp;utm_medium=merch&amp;utm_campaign=article">The History of We</a> by Nikkolas Smith, Rock the Boat, £8.99</strong><strong><br></strong>Via rich, dynamic paintings and thoughtful pared-back text, Smith answers the question “What does the beginning look like?” with this powerful picture book, the shared story of humanity’s first ancestors in “the fertile cradle of Africa”.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/oct/24/children-and-teens-roundup-the-best-new-picture-books-and-novels">Continue reading...</a>