Hector and the Big Bad Knight by Alex T Smith
All is not well in the happy village of Spottybottom as the Big, Bad Knight has stolen Granny’s magic wand. Hector wants to help his Granny get her wand back but there is a problem because Hector is the tiniest boy in the village and the thief is quite possibly the biggest and the baddest knight around. However, perhaps Granny should not despair because Hector has a plan! Full review...
Watch Out for the Crocodile by Lisa Moroni and Eva Eriksson
Little Tora is going on a very special trip with her Dad. Trekking, camping and animal spotting are on Tora’s agenda. No more work, coffee drinking or talking on his mobile for Dad. Well, perhaps not much talking on his mobile anyway. First though, there is some boring stuff; buying supplies at the supermarket and making the long car journey to the forest. When will they start to have fun? And where are those wild animals? A little bit of imagination is called for from both father and daughter to make the trip a memorable one. Full review...
Cuckoo! by Fiona Roberton
We do love Fiona Roberton's books in our house, a passion that started with Wanted: The Perfect Pet. This new story, about fat little cuckoo, is just as delightful as her others, and one that I've sneakily read without the children, once or twice, just so that I can properly enjoy it by myself! Full review...
Pom and Pim by Lena Landstrom and Olaf Landstrom
When Pom and Pim go out for the day things start off well, but bad luck comes their way. Can they look on the bright side of every situation, even when they feel tripped up time and time again? Full review...
Oi Frog! by Kes Gray and Jim Field
Normally I would shy away from any book rhyming frog with log and cat with hat and hare with chair...normally it would fill me with a sense of dread to be faced with such a 'poem' to read. This time, however, I make an exception, because Oi Frog! is very funny and definitely worth a read, and again, and again! Full review...
Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
When Annabelle finds a box of yarn, she uses it to knit a jumper. There’s some left so she knits her dog a jumper too. And then one for the boy next door. And one for his dog. And still there’s yarn left over. So she goes on and on. She knits jumpers for everyone she knows and then starts knitting for things that don’t even need jumpers. Pretty soon her dark, dreary town is transformed! Full review...
Say Hello Like This by Mary Murphy
Hello!
Hi!
Good day!
There’s lots of ways people can great each other, but what about animals. How do they say hello? If you read this book you’ll know who says bow-wow, who says tip tap, who says hee haw and so on. Full review...
A Walk In Paris by Salvatore Rubbino
Welcome to the City of Lights! Come join a little girl and her grandad as they spend a magical day exploring the sights of Paris. Follow them as they see the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame. Sit down with them in the bistro as they tuck into lunch, and then look longingly alongside them as they gaze at the delicious treats in the window of the pâtisserie. Full review...
Princess Stay Awake by Giles Paley-Phillips and Adriana J Puglisi
This cheerful picture book will resonate with parents everywhere. Princess Layla doesn’t want to go to bed. Every single evening she stays awake instead. The cheeky princess ignores every attempt to persuade her that a good night’s sleep is what children, even princesses, need. She skips around the bedroom, plays with her toys without even a yawn in sight. Her exhausted parents have tried everything they can think of...or have they? Full review...
I Love Mum by Joanna Walsh and Judi Abbot
When I went to get dressed this morning, there, on my only decent post baby bra, was what appeared to be butternut squash. Regurgitated. Veg I.D. was confirmed by the Daddy of the house. Ever helpful, he recalled that he had seen our little boy chewing it. It is because of incidents like this that books like I Love Mum get written, bought and read. Without a bit of positive affirmation for Mummies, the human race could die out. Quickly. Full review...
Miffy at the Zoo by Dick Bruna
Miffy and daddy are off on an exciting day trip. They’re catching a train to the zoo! Aren’t they lucky? They see zebras and monkeys and giraffes. What a lovely day they have. Full review...
It's a perennial problem for parents of little ones - how to get them to share. When my daughter was little she used to hover around the doors of the toy cupboard, hoping to be first in the queue to get her hands on a dolly pushchair... there are never enough dolly pushchairs it seems! Different parents react in different ways. Some see their little darling snatching a toy from another child and immediately leap in and start the 'share!' conversation. Others laugh and say 'well, they have to learn...' I think reactions differ depending on whether your child is always the one stealing the toys away, or if yours is the child weeping in the corner because someone took the yellow ball from her. Anyway, if you're having problems with the idea of sharing then try this sweet story! Full review...
The Beatles by Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom
The Beatles begins with the childhood of John Lennon at the end of the second world war. The first illustration seems to convey and infant John twisting and shouting on his way to the air raid shelter. The text and illustrations both paint a picture of mischievous but intelligent child. We especially loved an illustration that shows the mixed emotions of the passengers and driver as John plays an old harmonica for hours on the bus. Some of the passengers look desperate to escape, but the driver is so impressed he gives John a better harmonica. Full review...
The Perfect Hug by Joanna Walsh and Judi Abbott
Who doesn’t like a nice hug? Hugs and cuddles are something you know from birth are nice, and unlike with kisses you don’t have to worry about Aunty Florence’s smelly breath or wet slobbering. In this book, our unnamed, panda-shaped hero is out to find the perfect hug. Along the way he tries big hugs and small hugs and prickly hugs and tickly hugs, but none are quite right. Can he find the one he’s looking for? Is there a secret to the perfect hug? Full review...
Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T S Eliot and Rebecca Ashdown (Illustrator)
It has always struck me to be the very definition of disappointment to think you're going to study Eliot's poetry at college or university, only to find it is some errant dross like 'The Four Quartets'. His book of Cats poems is in the strictest of verse, it's bursting with levity, it's surely great fun to share – what's not to prefer here? If I were you, I'd just ignore what kind of show these pages once inspired, and turn or return to them, Prufrock be damned. Full review...
Serious Sas and Messy Magda by Marianne de Pierres and Rachel Annie Bridgen
Parenthood. Isn’t it great? Setting an example. Forming young minds. Embarrassing your kids. Whether it’s Dad dancing or Mum singing in public, most parents do one thing that makes their child cringe. Pity then poor Sas whose Mum is messy Magda, a woman with more than the one odd habit. Full review...
Zoom Zoom Zoom by Katherina Manolessou
Monkey and Bird aren’t tired. They don’t want to sleep. They want an adventure! And so leaving the birds sleeping in the trees, they set off to the moon. Full review...
Squishy McFluff: the Invisible Cat! by Pip Jones
Meet Ava. She's a girl of great imagination and a big heart, who brings an invisible cat home to mum one day, who humours Ava by feeding it invisible food and letting the two bond. But when mess gets made, and mistakes about the house happen, Ava declares innocence, and blames it all on the cat – and you'd be surprised how many accidents can be the result of having an invisible kitten indoors… Full review...
Best Counting Book Ever by Richard Scarry
There are a number of things I like about this book. One is the illustrations which are reminiscent of the Richard Scarry books of my youth, not surprising since this is a reissue of a book that first hit the shelves in 1975. They are bright and colourful, but simple too and the restrained plain colour pallet is refreshing in a world of patterns and glitter. Full review...
A Book is a Book by Jenny Bornholdt and Sarah Wilkins
Yes, children – adults lie to you. Sometimes, even in the titles of the books they make for you, like this one. A book is a door, it's great for boredom, it's fine for time up a tree, or in the bath (just not the shower). It can be borrowed, and then lent if it's a great one you enjoyed. It's certainly never the case that a book is just a book, as the title of this book would have you believe. Full review...
I am Cat (mini edition) by Jackie Morris
You're always supposed to tell when a dog is dreaming – the twitching limbs and jerking joints allegedly proving the sleeping Fido is imagining himself on the chase. Cats are, as always, a bit more secretive, but Jackie Morris offers evidence here that they are more or less thinking the same thing – even the domestic moggy, curled up and closed in, is picturing a different self – one sleeking through snows, relaxing on the savannah or alertly moving through its territory. It's a very pleasant view into the mindset of cats. Full review...
Choosing Crumble by Michael Rosen and Tony Ross (Illustrator)
Terri- Lee wants a dog. She is positive that a dog will be the perfect pet for her and will settle for nothing else. When Terri-Lee and her mum visit the pet shop together they think that they will be choosing a dog however, Crumble, the dog, has very different ideas. He wants to be sure that his prospective owner is the perfect match for him and has a few questions of his own. Will Terri- Lee be able to convince Crumble that she should be his owner? Full review...
Giraffe's Big Night by Carrie Grant and David Grant
To my generation, Carrie and David Grant are the slightly annoying couple from Pop Idol. True story – I asked at Cheer and based on my description of them (her with the bright red hair), that’s the adjective I got. For the next generation, however, they are a much loved duo from CBeebies and associated TV whatnot, and, now, the authors of a series of Jump Up and Join In books. Full review...
There's a Wocket in my Pocket by Dr Seuss
If you like made up creatures, this is the book you need, because virtually all of it is invented in a cuckoo, mixed up, doolally kind of way. Not only is there a wocket in a pocket, but there’s also a wasket in the basket, a yottle in the bottle and bofa on the sofa and so on. What a funny house this boy lives in! Full review...
Crayon by Simon Rickerty
Meet Red and Blue. They are colours who like to colour. Red colours with a blue crayon, and Blue with a red one. Are you keeping up? Red and Blue are usually friends, but when one colours on the other’s page, and then on the other colour himself, things get messy. And scribbly. And at one point, almost violent. Full review...
Noguchi the Samurai by Burt Konzak and Johnny Wales
Noguchi the Samurai is the story of two Samurai. Michihara is old and wise, while Noguchi is young and brash but very powerful and strong. Noguchi and Michihara both find themselves on a boat, with several very frightened passengers as Noguchi vents his anger on all around him and revels in the fear he causes. While the rest of the passengers huddled in fear, Michihara slept, unperturbed by the events around him. This drove Noguchi to even greater extremes, taking a swipe with his great sword near the sleeping Samurai, who still showed no fear. No matter how much Nogushi tried, he could not provoke Michihara or disturb his calm and peaceful nature. But with the safety of others at stake as well, the quiet old man at last agrees to a duel. It seems like victory will be certain for the young and powerful Noguchi against the small and age wizened elder, but things are not always as they seem. I don't wish to give away exactly how this ends, but I am sure you can guess who will come out victorious. Michihara triumphs, not through might, but through wisdom. But even in victory his calm and quiet nature remain unchanged and his compassion becomes all the more evident - turning an enemy into a friend. Full review...
Meet the Parents by Peter Bently and Sara Ogilivie
What are parents for? Perhaps young children think that all their parents do is nag them about what they should be doing such as remembering their manners, tidying up and eating all their vegetables. Well, it may be that parents do all this but they do so much more too. This lovely, gentle picture book describes the other very important roles that parents fulfil, covering everything from the slightly unusual ketchup targets and tent pole holders to the much loved storytellers and cuddle- givers. Full review...
There's a Shark in the Bath by Sarah McIntyre
What would you do if you found a shark in your bath? Or worse still, if you found a whole family of sharks in there? As luck would have it the person who does discover her bath has been invaded by scary sea creatures is Dulcie and Dulcie is one of life’s copers. She uses her skills and several sneaky games in her efforts to outwit the sharks in this jolly and enjoyable adventure. Full review...
Bear, Bird and Frog by Gwen Millward
Bear and Bird are friends who live together. They have an exciting day planned but when Frog shows up unannounced, Bear is surprised and momentarily forgets what they had been going to do. Like a good friend, even to those who drop round without warning, he invites Frog in for tea and cake and they have a chat. Bird is a little bored, to be honest. He’s waiting for them to go out, him and Bear, but Bear seems to have forgotten all about it. In the end, it’s Bear and Frog who go out, leaving Bird behind. Bird is really a bit upset about the way he thinks they’re treating him, and even when Bear and Frog try to include him he’s a bit too proud and so stays away. Full review...
Monkey Business by Smriti Prasadam-Halls and David Wojtowycz
We’re on Noah’s Ark and all the animals are here, from the snakes to the lions to the crocodiles. There are two of everyone, of course, though randomly there only appears to be one monkey, Charlie Chatter. And uh, oh. He’s lost his potty! Now Charlie Chatter is a bit big to be going on the potty, so the other animals, and Noah, try to convince him to try the loo instead, extolling its virtues, explaining how much fun it can be. Charlie Chatter remains unconvinced though, but when his potty fails to reappear his has a troubling choice to make. Full review...
Rules of Summer by Shaun Tan
Rules of Summer is not one of those books that is ever likely to earn the blanket recommendation One for every child's bookshelf. This book is not for every child. For some it could be the stuff of nightmares. But for those children who have grown bored with the pedestrian banality of many of the books on the high street, for children with a vivid imagination who are not too easily frightened, this book can be pure magic. It is a story of friendship, of the relationship between brothers, of anger and rivalry, and also of love and redemption, told with minimal text and the beautiful surreal imagery of Tan's paintings. Full review...
Tommy Tickletail: A Tall Tale by Dom Conlon and Carl Pugh
Sophie and Sam are on a midnight mission. It's a long time since supper and they're both hungry. Obviously a trip to see what's in the fridge (they've got high expectations) is essential but there are dangers to overcome. It's dark. They really shouldn't be raiding the fridge and - most frightening of all - there's Tommy Tickletail who has a body twelve feet long and sleeps under the kitchen table. They've got to get to the fridge without waking the monster - or who knows what the consequences will be? Full review...
I Am A Giant (Tiny the Giant) by Dom Conlon and Nicola Anderson
Tiny knew that he was a giant. In fact you couldn't help thinking that he was a little bit cross about the fact that he had to keep telling people. He'd shake his fists and roar I AM A GIANT. Proof was important, of course and the first step was to measure his shadow, which he did when the sun was low - but it wasn't just one step. It was many and his shadow still ran on ahead of him. Off he went to tell the world, but the mountains were, well, dismissive and the tall trees whispered about it amongst themselves before they rejected what he had to say. The wind didn't agree either - and went on and on about it until Tiny ran away to the sea. Full review...
Max and the Won't Go To Bed Show by Mark Sperring and Sarah Warburton
Prepare to unleash your inner Barnum with ‘Max and the Won’t Go To Bed Show’. You don’t read this book – you perform it. So, what’s it all about? Well, if you give me a drum roll (PLEASE!) … I will tell you. Full review...