As we look ahead to 2025, we’re thrilled to share a preview of the incredible books we have coming your way. From captivating debuts to new works by beloved authors, our list is brimming with stories that entertain, inspire, and spark conversation. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s in store—just a taste of the exciting reads we can’t wait for you to discover!

FICTION

THE MERCY STEP by Marcia Hutchinson (LEAD TITLE)

Pub. date: UK: 22 July 2025 | ISBN: 978-1-913175-74-0 | Literary Fiction | Hardback

Taking us back in time to 1960s Bradford, The Mercy Step follows the precocious Mercy, a young child facing a world that is far too big for her small body. Mercy lives with her Windrush generation parents; she craves her mother’s attention, which she must share with the Church and her many siblings, while trying to avoid the fists and temper of her father. Mercy struggles to find her place in the world, surrounded by flawed adults and a family she feels like an outsider in, her only joys her loyal doll Dolly and the escapism she finds in books. But Mercy is nothing if not resilient, and she takes up the fight to escape her traumatic upbringing, all while maintaining her humour, style and verve. A raw and tender story of family, isolation, and growth.

A PAIR OF WINGS by Carole Hopson

Pub. date: 28 May 2025 | ISBN: 978-1-913175-80-1| Fiction | Paperback

An airline captain crafts a riveting, adventurous novel inspired by the remarkable true life of pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman, a Black woman who learned to fly at the dawn of aviation and found freedom in the air. The daughter of a woman born into slavery, Bessie answers the call of the Great Migration, moving to Chicago, where she wins the backing of two wealthy, powerful Black men–Robert Abbott, creator and publisher of the Chicago Defender, and Jesse Binga, the founder of Chicago’s first Black bank. While she finds no prejudice in the air, Bessie wrestles with other challenges on the ground. A plane crash nearly kills her, her brothers seem to be crumbling under the weight of Jim Crow, and, while grappling with tough truths about Binga, Bessie begins to wonder if the freedom she finds in the sky means she must otherwise fly solo.

NON-FICTION

THE WORLD WAS IN OUR HANDS by Chitra Nagarajan

Pub. date: 22 April 2025 | ISBN: 9781913175566 | Non-Fiction | Hardback

A profoundly moving, provocative, and indispensable collection of first-hand accounts from those navigating the harrowing realities of the Boko Haram conflict. Through the voices of abducted girls, brash soldiers, determined community leaders, and resilient fishermen, this collection is an unflinching glimpse into the everyday experiences of those impacted by violence and conflict. The World Was in Our Hands explores themes of entrenched patriarchy, economic precarity, climate change, and pervasive corruption, painting a vivid portrait that goes far beyond superficial news coverage.

ON TABOO: AN ANTHOLOGY OF ESSAYS BY AFRICAN WOMEN edited by Momtaza Mehri and Ellah Wakatama

Pub. date: 30 September 2025 | ISBN: 978-1-913175-84-9 | Creative Non-fiction | Hardback

On Taboo: An Anthology of Essays by African Women, edited by Momtaza Mehri and Ellah Wakatama, is a bold and compelling collection of 11 essays that brings together powerful voices to confront how the concept of taboo shapes diverse cultures across the continent. Through eloquent and candid prose, the essays explore subjects often kept in the shadows, such as AIDS, menstruation, mental health, grief, sexuality, and patriarchy. Each essay offers a powerful exploration of the intersections between personal experiences, theory, and cultural norms, creating a mosaic that is at once intimate and universal. The collection navigates themes of identity, history and the unspoken boundaries imposed by tradition, pushing against the limits of whispers and respectable conversation, to create a space for much-needed dialogue.

CHILDREN

HASSAN AND HASSANA SHARE EVERYTHING by Elnathan John

Pub. date: 24 June 2025 | ISBN: 9781913175405 | Children’s Picture Book | Paperback

Hassan and Hassana are twins, and they’re practically identical. Even though one is a boy and the other a girl, ever since they were babies people have had trouble telling them apart. For their 8th birthday, Hassan gets a bike and Hassana gets drums. Hassan’s friends tell him that girls can’t ride bikes, leaving him with an important decision to make. Will he decide to share, or will he let Hassana feel left out? A beautiful story about sharing, kindness and standing up for what is right.

HENRIETTA LACKS: The Mother of Modern Medicine by Dawne Allette

Pub. date: 19 August 2025 | ISBN: 9781913175276 | Children’s Non-Fiction | Paperback

Henrietta Lacks: The Mother of Modern Medicine introduces young readers to the remarkable story of story of Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman whose cancer cells revolutionised medical science. This book charts Henrietta’s life, from her upbringing in Virginia through to the births of her five children, before she passed away aged31 from cervical cancer. Henrietta’s cells lived on, taking from her tumour while she was undergoing surgery without her knowledge, leading to the discovery of the first ‘immortal cell line’, and giving Henrietta the name ‘the mother of modern medicine’.

A BOUNCY 123 by Sade Fadipe

Pub. date: 16 September 2025 | ISBN: 978-1-913175-82-5 | Children’s Picture Book| Paperback

Join Adanah and her friend Kolade as they go running around their village in this fun 123 adventure book! This colourful picture book set in Nigeria captures the fun of playing outdoors, as Adanah and Kolade chase two bouncy tyres around their village, clambering over rocks and encountering spiders and more! Written in a fun bouncing style, children will learn to count while having fun as they join Adanah and Kolade’s adventure.