Class One Farmyard Fun by Julia Jarman and Lynne Chapman
When Class One go on a trip to the farm, the day is not plain sailing. The teacher's traumas don't revolve around the usual 'who will be sick on the coach' issues however, and instead relate to one rather grumpy farmyard animal - the bull! All sorts of trauma ensues when the bull escapes from his field, and it takes a lot of the children working together to be able to catch him back in his field and lock him up. All things considered, this probably isn't the best book for any teachers to read aloud the day before a school trip... Full review...
Waiting for Goliath by Antje Damm
Bear is waiting for Goliath. That's Bear on the cover and it was what first drew me to this book. He looks so forlorn that I wanted to know what the problem was. He's not exactly forlorn, but he has been waiting at the bus stop since dawn and he might be getting just a little bit bored. He lies down (legs dangling down and tummy flat on the seat) and explains to everyone that Goliath is his best friend. Robin wanted to know if Goliath is as strong as Bear and Bear says that he is. He's smart too. He can count to eighteen. Bear's obviously been at the stop for quite a while as the spring flowers have fallen from the trees. He's there through the dark too - he just curls up and sleeps on the seat. Full review...
I Dare You by Reece Wykes
Some children's books require a robust sense of humour from a parent, or at least the ability to look the other way when a book is being naughty. There are more books on pants and poo than could fill a landfill, but when is something too far for a children's book? Bragging? Lying? Cannibalism? Full review...
The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield and The Fan Brothers
Back in the nineteen sixties in a cottage on Stag Island in Southern Ontario, Canada there was a boy called Chris who loved playing with rockets. Actually they were made out of cardboard boxes, but they were rockets to Chris and he and his dog would play space games all day. He really didn't have time for anything else and he certainly didn't have time to sleep. Well, actually, there's a secret here: Chris was afraid of the dark and everyone knows that when it's very dark the worst sort of aliens come into the bedroom. Night after night his parents worked very hard to get him to sleep in his own bedroom and it was only the threat that if Chris didn't get into his own bed and go to sleep everyone would be too tired to go next door the following evening to watch something special on television. There was only the one television on the island, you see. Full review...
My Name is not Refugee by Kate Milner
A child's mother tells her child that they will have to leave this town: it's not safe for them any longer. She explains what will happen. The child can pack his own bag, but he has to remember that he must only take what he can carry. Initially it will be exciting and they can't live in a place where there's no water in the taps and the rubbish just piles up in the streets. It's going to be an adventure, but sometimes they're going to be on their own and it will get a bit boring, but sometimes they'll be with other people and he must remember to hold on to an adult's hand. They'll see lots of cars and lorries and sleep in some strange places. They'll hear people speaking in strange languages and taste new foods. Eventually they'll get to somewhere where they are safe and can unpack. The strange words will start to make sense.
He'll be called Refugee, but he has to remember that Refugee is not his name. Full review...
The Great Paper Caper by Oliver Jeffers
Something terrible is happening in the forest. Branches from trees are going missing overnight, and nobody knows what's going on. Everyone living in the forest gathers together to look at the crime scene, and to try to discover what has happened. Initially they blame each other, but after discovering everyone there has a solid alibi they continue their investigations to try and find the culprit. Full review...
The Dressing-Up Dad by Maudie Smith and Paul Howard
Danny and his dad both love dressing up! Whatever the event, or reason, they are ready. Indeed, they don't really need a reason, but just happily dress up together at home, or when they go out, as spacemen, a knight and a dragon, sea creatures and wizards...you name it, they can dress up as it! Danny loves having so much fun with his dad, but then one day he does start to wonder what it would be like to have a normal, ordinary dad, and so for his birthday he decides to ask his dad to dress up as an ordinary dad! Full review...
Triangle by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
This is a story about Triangle. One day he goes out of his house and walks a long way to go and play a sneaky trick on his friend, Square. It's quite a long walk, past lots and lots of triangles, and then lots of shapes with no name, and then lots and lots of squares. What will happen after he's played his trick on Square, though? Will Triangle get his comeuppance? Full review...
Sun by Sam Usher
It was the hottest day of the year. Hotter, if such a thing is possible, than broccoli soup, the Atacama Desert and the surface of the sun. Grandad decreed that it was the perfect day for an adventure and began packing the picnic basket with all sorts of useful things: water, biscuits, a telescope, camera, sun protection, fruit, sandwiches, toys and lots, lots more. How are a boy and his grandad to know what they're going to need? Grandad was the navigator and the boy was the lookout. Full review...
Grandpa Diet and Diabetes by Laura Williams
Nick's Mum is an accident and emergency nurse and life can get a bit hectic at times, particularly when she has to arrange for someone to look after Nick and his twin sister Emma. One day in the school holidays Grandpa had the pleasure of looking after the kids and Nick thought this was cool. Grandpa used to be a bit of a rocker, you see, and that's the sort of music he always has playing. He might have a stick but Nick sure that he doesn't really need it - it's there just in case. He does have a problem though and Mum explains it by saying that Grandpa has to eat at the right time every day because he has diabetes. Full review...
Supertato Run Veggies Run by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet
I've heard of these so called superfoods, they are reported to boost your immune system and flush out areas of your body that have gone unnoticed for decades, but does this make them super? In my mind to be a superfood you need to do something spectacular; lift a car from a trapped child, or leap over a building in one bound. The vegetable and fruit in my house can't do any of this, but then they aren't Supertato; a spectacular spud that, more than once, has saved the day with his powers. Full review...
Dr Seuss's ABC by Dr Seuss
No one who has read his work can deny that Dr Seuss had a powerful imagination. He was able to pluck from his brainpan not only interesting takes on old ideas, but also new creatures and worlds that had never been seen before. His books are often madder than a box of March hares, but even he must have had his limits? The humble ABC book (dare I say the dull ABC book), surely he could not bring his sense of anarchic fun to this staple of the children's education market? Full review...
British Museum: ABC by Nosy Crow
Learning your ABCs is also seemingly learning the same items appearing over and over again. A is not only A – it is also Apple. B is Ball, C is Car. It is almost as if there are only 26 objects in the world and they happen to start with different letters of the alphabet. In fact, apart from Xylophone and X-Ray, there are loads of things that you could choose to put in an ABC book, if only you had a vast repository of objects and art that you could choose from … Full review...
Go To Sleep! by Marion Adams
It was midnight on the wild moors. The round white moon peeped over the clouds. The barn owl flew from tree to tree without making a sound. The cool night breeze rustled through the gorse bushes.
Parents - isn't this just a lovely way to start a bedtime story? It's an oft-forgotten truth about picture books that they need to engage the parents as well as the children. How else can they read it aloud successfully? So I loved this opening paragraph of Go To Sleep! - it not only set the scene beautifully but it also made me want to rush off and find a child to read it to. Full review...
Fum by Karl Newson and Lucy Fleming
The smallest member of the Crumb family, Fum, has gone missing. Where on earth can he be? The rest of the Crumbs (a family of giants) search high and low for little Fum, enlisting the help of various fairy tale friends along the way. Full review...
Little Monster's Day Out with Dad by Nick Sharratt and Pippa Goodhart
Before leaving the house it is always important that you check the traffic online. What is the point in leaving now if you are going to be stuck in a traffic jam all the way? Little Monster's Father could have done this, but is learning the hard way. Thankfully, this is a world in which even the mundane can be fun and there are lots of friends to find; even when you are stuck in back to back traffic on the Monster M25. Full review...
Cinnamon by Neil Gaiman and Divya Srinivasan
First written in 1995, Cinnamon has hitherto existed as a short story on Neil Gaiman's website or as part of an audiobook collection. Now, it's out as a picture book for us all to share. The story follows Cinnamon, a princess in a small hot country, where everything is very old. Cinnamon was born with pearls for eyes. This means that she is very beautiful but also blind. And Cinnamon won't speak. Her parents, the rajah and rani, offer rich rewards for anyone who can persuade their daughter to talk. People come and go but nobody is successful. Until, one day, a tiger comes... Full review...
Can I Join Your Club? by John Kelly and Steph Laberis
Duck just wants to join a club. Any club would be fine, but he would really like to be a part of something, so he tries the Lion Club, and the Snake Club, and even Club Elephant, but it seems like duck won't ever fit in anywhere… Full review...
Tibs the Post Office Cat by Joyce Dunbar and Claire Fletcher
Set in the 1950's, this is a story about a cat called Tibs (who was a real cat) who was born in a post office, and who had a job to keep all the rats and mice under control. Rather than killing and eating all the mice, however, Tibs befriends them, and with their help he is able to apprehend some thieves, becoming the hero of the day! Full review...
Under the Same Sky by Britta Teckentrup
In this delightfully different book award winning illustrator Britta Teckentrup combines beautiful pictures with a simple yet lyrical text to portray a celebration of global unity. It beautifully depicts how the world's communities are united by the same hopes and dreams. Full review...
Charlie Chick Wants to Play by Ant Parker
You would be amazed how often items go missing in children's books, especially in lift the flap books. What better way is there to get a kid to look under something than say it may contain the missing object? In this case a Chick has lost their ball and rather than question why a baby chicken would have a ball in the first place, we instead must go on an adventure around the farm. Full review...
SPLAT! by Jon Burgerman
Everybody loves a clown…. Wait a minute, does anyone like a clown? They are as likely to make a child cry as they are to make them laugh. One thing that they do have going for them is the slapstick humour and although we may not enjoy clowns themselves, we do enjoy watching someone get smacked in the face with a custard pie. Therefore, why not enjoy the mayhem without the harlequin? Full review...
Lots – The Diversity of Life on Earth by Nicola Davies and Emily Sutton
How many different kinds of living things are there on Earth? Lots…that's how many. Children will learn lots and lots from this wonderful book. I learned lots from it too. There are 100,000 different kinds of mushrooms. Who knew? Well I certainly didn't. This is one of those special books with cross-over appeal. Tiny children will adore the illustrations, slightly older ones will learn fascinating facts and readers of any age will be moved by the message that we need to take better care of our beautiful environment. Full review...
Paddington's Finest Hour by Michael Bond
Paddington is back! This is the first set of new stories about our favourite bear from Peru since 2012. There are seven of them and, as you'd expect, they are delightful. Our little bear doesn't change and he still careers around 32 Windsor Gardens creating merry havoc as his adopted family, the Browns, look on in helpless mirth. Everybody loves a bit of slapstick, right? Full review...
One Happy Tiger by Catherine Rayner
I love a good counting book! I particularly like one that has a story attached to it, rather than just 'one ball, two oranges, three dolls...' I like a counting book which is well drawn too and where care and thought has gone into the production of the book: you can't start to appreciate the good things in life too soon and One Happy Tiger ticks all those boxes, but when we first meet him tiger is rather sad. He's sitting all alone and whilst he might not have a frown on his face or tears in his eyes he has a look of dejection about him. Full review...
Fluffy Chick by Rod Campbell
Books enable us to travel places that we can only dream of; we can walk on the moon, or sink to the deepest depths of the ocean. However, not all books have to be spectacular to be great; simple pleasures can also be good. Taking a child to a petting zoo is one of the most fun outings a family can do, but what happens when you are having an indoor day? Pick up Fluffy Chick and bring the simple joy of the petting zoo to you. Full review...
The Covers of My Book Are Too Far Apart (and other grumbles) by Vivian French and Nigel Baines
I'm too old for bedtime stories, That's a girl's book!, I hate this book but I've got to finish it, I can't find a book that I like. You've probably heard at least one of the grumbles in this book before but have you known how to respond to it? This brilliant picture book will do it for you and is a joyful celebration of all that's wonderful about books and reading. Full review...
When Grandad was a Penguin by Morag Hood
When a little girl goes to stay with her Grandad, she is worried that all is not well. Grandad doesn't seem quite the same, somehow, and he is talking about fish a lot, none of his clothes fit, and he is spending a lot more time in the bathroom. Thankfully, one day the zoo phones up, having discovered a bit of a problem there that might explain what is going on with Grandad! Full review...
A Perfect Day by Lane Smith
It's a lovely sunny day, and looks as if it may just turn out to be a perfect day, since there is a sunny spot for cat in the flowers, and a paddling pool for dog to cool off in, and bird food in the bird feeder, and a corn cob for squirrel. But, what's this? Here comes bear, lumbering into the garden to eat the corn cob, splash in the water and squash all the flowers! Full review...
The Everywhere Bear by Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb
The Everywhere Bear is an important member of Class One. He enjoys a wide range of activities with the children in his class, such as bus rides and burgers, football and music. One day, when it's the new boy, Matt's, turn to bring the Everywhere Bear back to school Matt sees a cat on the way to school, and he bends over to give it a cuddle. Poor old Bear falls out of Matt's bag and into a puddle. This is the start of the Bear's most exciting (and terrifying!) adventure yet! Full review...
William Bee's Wonderful World of Trucks by William Bee
Children will be who they are, no matter how you try to change them, they know what they like. You may want to steer one child away from a world of pink and the other from a world of blue, but turn your back for a moment and there they are; one playing with a doll, the other a train. There is nothing wrong with a girl liking traditional girl things and a boy liking traditional boy things, as long as they are given the opportunity to pick what they want. Some books you would assume are for one or the other, but actually transcend; these books are simply cool in their own right. Full review...
Monkey's Sandwich by Michelle Robinson and Emily Fox
Monkeys have been given the reputation of being cheeky, but do you also see them as petty thieves? How can these cheerful chimps be seen as anything other than cute, but mischievous little monkeys? Anyone who has driven through Knowsley Safari Park knows the truth. A perfectly good car drives in the monkey enclosure only to be bereft of wing mirrors, hubcaps and windscreen wipers at the end. Rumour has it that the monkeys sell these parts wholesale at a lockup in South Kirby. The monkey in this tale may not be stealing car parts, but he is a little light fingered when it comes to making the ultimate lunch. Full review...
Ten Terrible Dinosaurs by Paul Stickland
Some things are easier to count than others. How many pens are there on the desk is simple enough. A little trickier is the number of cars on the road, but stand back and you can see them. The fact is that the bigger something is, the further you will need to be from it to count more than one. What would happen though if you were counting something that was not only big, but moving and also prone to eating you? Full review...
The Night I Followed the Dog by Nina Laden
There's a Boy (who doesn't have a name) and a Dog (likewise) and in the beginning you get the feeling that the Boy would prefer to have next door's Dog who wins prizes in obedience classes and does clever things with the television remote control. That is until one morning when Boy opens the door a little earlier than usual and spots Dog getting out of a limousine. In a tuxedo. The he disappears into the back garden. Boy's shocked but a few minutes later he goes to the back door and whistles for Dog, who comes dashing in, anxious to eat. At first Boy can't quite believe what he thinks he saw, so he determines to follow Dog the next night. Full review...
Something for Mummy (Bing) by Ted Dewan
Having a child gives you a glimpse into a world that you never knew even existed. Unfortunately, this not a winter wonderland hidden in a wardrobe, but a world of children's TV characters. The mainstays of the genre have still survived; Sooty, Noddy and Postman Pat, but who is RaRa or Mr Tumble? One popular show that takes some getting used to is Bing, a series all about a rabbit that seems to have a stuffed animal as a carer. There are seemingly no parents in the show as if the town is one giant crèche, so how come Bing and his helper Flop are making a gift for Mummy? Full review...
My First Animals by Aino-Maija Metsola
Get used to two simple words if you have a child, What's That? You will hear it over and over and over again. If you are lucky they are pointing at something that you actually know – chair, hat, my sense of regret. Sometimes they will point at something that is not too familiar. Here the parental practise of making something up comes into play – it's a bird type thing. Books that show images of items, colours or animals may seem a little dull to an adult, but to a toddler learning about the world they are a who's who of what's that. Full review...