A selection of children's books that feature LGTBQIA+ characters and themes on a yellow background with multicoloured shadows

Article-Card-Puffin-LGBTQ-Books.jpg

Children's reading lists

17 of the best LGBTQIA+ books for kids

A photo of the book The Last Firefox by Lee Newbery on a dark purple background surrounded by illustrations of purple leaves

Article-Card-The-Last-Firefox-Extract.jpg

Extracts

The Last Firefox by Lee Newbery

The First Shadowdragon

All legends start somewhere . . . 
 
After defeating the evil Grendilock and saving Cadno, the last firefox, Charlie Challinor is looking forward to a well-earned rest. But when a familiar face appears from the realm of Fargone, Charlie's family is once again swept up into adventure. 
 
Along with Lippy, Roo and new magical friend Blodyn, Charlie must travel to Fargone to face the dreaded Draig, the shadowy monster that is slowly draining the life from the land - and uncover the lost secret that links Draig's history to Charlie's own . . . 
 
The magical sequel to The Last Firefox, one of the most exciting children's debuts of 2022.

All legends start somewhere . . . 
 
After defeating the evil Grendilock and saving Cadno, the last firefox, Charlie Challinor is looking forward to a well-earned rest. But when a familiar face appears from the realm of Fargone, Charlie's family is once again swept up into adventure. 
 
Along with Lippy, Roo and new magical friend Blodyn, Charlie must travel to Fargone to face the dreaded Draig, the shadowy monster that is draining the life from the land - and uncover the lost secret that links Draig's history to Charlie's own . . .

The Last Firefox

Winner of the Wales Book of the Year People's Choice Award! A heartwarming story about family, friendship and finding your inner fire. 
 
Between bullies at school and changes at home, Charlie Challinor finds life a bit scary. And when he's made guardian of a furry fox cub called Cadno, things get a whole lot scarier. 
 
Because Cadno isn't just any fox: he's a firefox - the only one of his kind - and a sinister hunter from another world is on his trail. 
 
Swept up into an unexpected adventure to protect his flammable friend, Charlie's going to need to find the bravery he never thought he had, if he's going to save the last firefox . . . 
 
'Comic, adventurous and charming' - Guardian 
 
'Magical' - Sunday Express 
 
'Funny, sweet and charming - a real delight!' Sam Copeland, author of Charlie Changes Into a Chicken 
 
'Utterly gorgeous storytelling, adorable characters and a blazing adventure - The Last Firefox will long burn bright in your heart.' Jenny Pearson, author of The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates 
 
'Crackles with adventure and love.' Maria Kuzniar, author of The Ship of Shadows. 
 
'Lee Newbery gives us an enchanting fantasy adventure as warm as a firefox's tail. Heart and humour abound in this fun, fast-paced story of how a boy finds inner strength by helping a magical creature. A joyous gem!' Lesley Parr, author of The Valley of Lost Secrets 
 
'A heart (and tail!) warming adventure about family, friendship and one flamin' cute fox cub' Thomas Taylor, author of Malamander

A comic, adventurous and charming debut for eight-plus, with an engaging cast and a deftly evoked Welsh setting.

Between bullies at school and changes at home, Charlie Challinor finds life a bit scary. And when he's made guardian of a furry fox cub called Cadno, things get a whole lot scarier. 
 
Because Cadno isn't just any fox: he's a firefox - the only one of his kind - and a sinister hunter from another world is on his trail. 
 
Swept up into an unexpected adventure to protect his flammable friend, Charlie's going to need to find the bravery he never thought he had, if he's going to save the last firefox . . .

The Moonlighters

Peter Pan meets Oliver Twist in the magical new book by rising star Lee Newbery, author of Waterstones Children's Book of the Month, The Last Firefox. 
 
When ten-year-old Theo runs off from a school trip to London's Natural History Museum and decides to pay his gran a surprise visit, he discovers the surprise is on him - his gran is on holiday and Theo finds himself alone in the big city with nowhere to turn. 
 
Enter Alistair Goodfellow, a mysterious, flamboyant young person with a charismatic twinkle in their eye. Alistair offers Theo a room at the Casablanca Lily - by day, a run-down and unloved hotel; by night, a palace of magical wonders. 
 
Each night, Alistair sends their found family of runaways and ne'er-do-wells, the Moonlighters, out into London in search of lost magical artefacts, gifting them their own magical powers as a reward. 
 
Theo is quickly enthralled, but there is more to Alistair than meets the eye, and soon Theo comes to realize that the items Alistair is hunting could be more dangerous than he'd ever imagined . . .

Lee Newbery lives with his son and dog in a seaside town in West Wales. By day he works for an arts charity, helping people to share their stories through creative writing, painting and participatory arts, and by night he sits down at his laptop to write. 
 
Lee enjoys adventuring, drinking ridiculous amounts of tea, and giving his dog a good cuddle - or a cwtch, as they say in Wales. His first book, The Last Firefox, was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize.

When ten-year-old Theo runs off from a school trip to London's Natural History Museum and decides to pay his gran a surprise visit, he discovers the surprise is on him - his gran is on holiday and Theo finds himself alone in the big city with nowhere to turn. 
 
Enter Alistair Goodfellow, a mysterious, flamboyant young person with a charismatic twinkle in their eye. Alistair offers Theo a room at the Casablanca Lily - by day, a run-down and unloved hotel; by night, a palace of magical wonders. 
 
Each night, Alistair sends their found family of runaways and ne'er-do-wells, the Moonlighters, out into London in search of lost magical artefacts, gifting them their own magical powers as a reward. 
 
Theo is quickly enthralled, but there is more to Alistair than meets the eye, and soon Theo comes to realize that the items Alistair is hunting could be more dangerous than he'd ever imagined . . .

Lee Newbery

When out-of-control weather brings danger to his home town, Charlie Challinor suspects that more than climate change might be to blame. Heading back to Fargone with Cadno the firefox, Lippy and Roo, Charlie discovers the magical realm is also in dire peril. 
 
The sinister giant Gawr has stolen the Cariad, the Heart of Fargone, mixing up the world's magic and plunging the land into chaos. With the Cariad's ancient guardian, the sunlion Llew, missing in action, only Charlie and his friends can save the day - but at what cost . . . ?

Lee Newbery

Books by Lee Newbery

Series by Lee Newbery

The Last Firefox

Articles featuring Lee Newbery

17 of the best LGBTQIA+ books for kids

The Last Firefox by Lee Newbery

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter