Diversity and inclusion

Set in Nova Scotia, during a seemingly endless winter, A Million Tiny Missiles draws on the author’s experience of growing up as a neurodivergent child in a small town in the Canadian province. Central to the narrative is the relationship between the narrator, a neurodivergent fourteen-year-old, and his older brother, who has fallen into a life of addiction and criminality. They live with their policeman father, and part-time teacher mother, whose relationship is showing the strain of the challenges facing them.

When things change, it can feel as though everything is different. Especially when we move home and all around is unfamiliar.

A mysterious yellow rock that kicked off the Gold Rush in nineteenth century America; a scrabble in Egyptian sand that uncovered ancient steps to a boy-king’s tomb brimming with gold; a trio of French boys burrowing down a hole in the forest to see their simple lamp illuminating vivid, lifelike cave paintings. These are just three of the twelve thrilling true discoveries that are described in this engaging, beautiful book.

Mixed is equal parts encouraging pep talk, history lesson and two-way discussion with the reader about all elements of the mixed experience.

Cody Thompson has been obsessed with motor racing for as long as she can remember, so when she’s offered a job as junior engineer at Falcon Racing, it’s a dream come true. Soon Cody is travelling the world, meeting famous drivers, and impressing her new bosses with her aptitude for stats and analysis. But beneath the glitz and glamour, not everything is as it seems. Falcon’s top drivers, Carl and Austin, are locked in a bitter rivalry that threatens their chances in the championship – and when both men take an interest in Cody, things can only get more complicated …

Lilly and her assistance dog Myles are off to the stadium to see their favourite team play in a big match. This is a warm, reassuring and sensitively crafted picturebook that explores both the joy of football and the challenges a young Autistic child may face when navigating an overwhelming environment.

Haunted by recent losses, battling addiction and anxiety, facing nothing but problems and increasingly unstable futures, Shosh and Evan are not doing well. To make things worse, they’ve been hearing strange music, an ethereal sound it seems like only they can hear. As this slow-burn romance unfolds in alternating vignettes from their difficult lives – with the occasional detour to other lifetimes – we watch these teenagers muddle through their days and investigate the spectral songs that seem to draw them together. All the while we wonder, will they find their way toward a better life?

Hikaru Ogino loves to sing, but only ever in the comfort of her family bathhouse. She is in awe of her best friend, Ran, a former girl group idol. Ran has sung in front of large crowds and never seemed nervous. Hiraku dreams of a day when she too has the confidence to perform in front of people.

A little boy and his mummies set off on a grand adventure together to build a treehouse and with imagination and hard work, they combine their skills as a family to make his dream come true. This is a gentle and warm story rooted in realism, with practicality at its core. The fact that the little boy has two mums is incidental and complementary to the story, rather than being the main focus.