A dark fantasy in the vein of Alan Garner, a raw but hopeful tale of teenage alcoholism, and a cosy romcom with a neurodivergent angle are among this month’s selection

Liz Hyder won the older readers’ category in the Waterstones children’s book prize for her memorable debut Bearmouth. Now, in The Twelve (Pushkin), Kit and her friend Story must travel back in time to find Kit’s sister, who goes missing close to an ancient stone circle on the eve of the winter solstice. Channelling the dark menace of classic British fantasy writers such as Susan Cooper and Alan Garner, this is a beguiling tale of ancient magic, good and evil, deeply rooted in the Welsh landscape. Haunting illustrations by Tom de Freston add to the eerie atmosphere.

Jandy Nelson weaves an unforgettable tapestry of love, loss and magic realism in When the World Tips Over (Walker). Following the sudden departure of their father many years earlier, the three Fall siblings still bear scars and the arrival of a rainbow-haired stranger triggers a tumultuous emotional journey for each of them. Nelson’s lyrical writing has a folksy, dreamy quality in this rewarding and complex multigenerational epic, which spans more than 500 pages.