Browns Best New Books of 2023

2023 had many notable events – England making the final in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the first Coronation of a UK Monarch for 70 years, the release of the brilliant Barbie film… Publishing in 2023 also had some fantastic highlights so whether you are looking for books to inspire the youngest children, looking for something perfect for a primary-age reader, after a brilliant read for a terrific teen, wanting to lose yourself in some of the best adult fiction or discover something new with non-fiction check out our picks from the Browns Team of the very best of 2023.

In a year which look to see the hottest global temperatures on record, and one which has seen extreme weather events across the globe, it will not be surprising that many writers have focused on our planet and what we risk losing if Climate Change continues. Katherine Rundell’s The Golden Mole is a fabulous look at a variety of endangered animals, some of which we may take for granted and a hugely enjoyable and informative look at some of the amazing creatures we share a planet with. Otherlands is a chance to look back across 500 million years to marvel at the earth as it used to exist and wonder at miraculous ecosystems. For history fans there have been some great books published in 2023, we have been fascinated by The LGBTQ+ History Book which contains biographies of LGBTQ+ figures as well as exploring key events and ideas in queer culture and history. 2023 has been a big year for biographies with Spare by Prince Harry and Britney Spears’s The Woman in Me garnering lots of publicity but there have been some great biographies of lesser-know figures, including the award-winning Beryl: In Search of Britain’s Greatest Athlete which is a look at the amazing achievements of a sporting figure few people will be aware of and was one of our favourites of 2023 here at Browns.

2023 has been a bumper year for brilliant fiction, whatever you enjoy. From fantastic literary fiction to page-turning crime and TikTok bestselling Romantasy books, this year has had something for everyone. Retellings of Greek Myth continue to be a popular genre and Stone Blind won’t disappoint fans of these books or anyone looking for an enjoyable, funny and often surprising look at Medusa’s story. Louise Kennedy’s brilliant Trespasses has featured on lots of Prize shortlists (and won Fiction Debut at the British Book Awards) and is a powerful and moving novel set during The Troubles in 1970s Northern Ireland. For fans of Historical Fiction The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho is a fascinating and thrilling look at the life of a young black man in Georgian London and if you fancy a twisty, gripping and enjoyable crime novel to lose yourself in over the festive break then The Skeleton Key is our perfect pick.

Writing for Teens and Young Adults always has some of the most interesting and ground-breaking books and 2023 was no different. The popularity of Thrillers for this age group continues and we were gripped by Five Survive by BookTok Author of the Year Holly Jackson. Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper series of graphic novels continues to deservedly be a bestseller, with a third Netflix season hopefully coming in 2024. Books about managing what can be a challenging time like Failosophy for Teens offer indispensable advice and SF Said’s magical and though-provoking Tyger has proved to be a hit with a wide range of readers. With masses of brilliant recommendations on TikTok and some great TV adaptations of teen novels, 2023 has been a year for Young Adults to rediscover or fall in love with reading.

There have been so many amazing books for Primary-age readers in 2023 that it has been really hard to pick just a few highlights. This year saw some wonderful writing for this age group tackling themes of change, transition and friendship – Quiet Storm and award-winning The Light in Everything are just two of the fantastic fiction books that we’ve particularly loved this year (along with the incredible The Final Year). Encouraging children (and everyone) to think and learn about history that has been under-represented previously has also been a theme in 2023; there have been several eye-opening books on this topic such as Brilliant Black British History that will both fascinate and educate. The Yoto Carnegie Awards are always a huge highlight and this year’s Medal for Illustration winner Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear is an inspiring and uplifting tale based on a true story and with fantastic graphic-novel style illustrations.

For Early Years readers just discovering a love of books and reading 2023 had some truly inspiring choices. There were books that encourage kindness, empathy and friendship such as the brilliant The Kindest Red or You’re So Amazing as well as books that help us to think about our planet and the animals we share it with like the award-winning, funny and beautifully illustrated Flooded. And as we look forward to Tabby McTat showing on Christmas Day, why not check out The Baddies - the hilarious new book from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.