Cave Baby By Julia Donaldson

A hairy mammoth takes a cheeky little baby on a thrilling ride through a moonlit landscape populated by a sabre-toothed tiger, a leaping hare, a laughing hyena and even, just maybe, by a big brown bear…But where are they going? And what has it to do with the baby’s scribblings on the cave wall?

Destruction & Preservation

Naughty Bus by Jan Oke

Just when you thought one would never come along… This is a book for reading together with young children; designed to encourage conversation, visual literacy and imaginative play.

Destruction & Preservation

The Journey Home By Frann Preston Gannon

The ice is melting so Polar Bear sets off in search of a new home. Join him on his adventures across the seas and discover the many friends he meets along the way. This beautifully illustrated story has a powerful message of conservation and is full of things for parents and children to talk about. Frann was the winner of an amazing Sendak Fellowship and spent a month living with the great Maurice Sendak himself at his home in Connecticut, USA. She worked on The Journey Home during her stay there.

Destruction & Preservation

Astro Girl By Ken Wilson-Max

Just when you thought one would never come along… This is a book for reading together with young children; designed to encourage conversation, visual literacy and imaginative play.

Space & our world

Dear Earth By Isabel Otter and Clara Anganuzzi

When Tessa writes a love letter to the Earth, it’s the beginning of a glorious adventure. She blows bubbles with whales, soars with birds and joins in with the noisy rainforest hullabaloo!
Tessa wants everyone to know how special our planet is. She believes that there is a chance to save the Earth if enough of us share the message…

Space & our world

Toys in Space By Mini Grey

A very silly (not-too-scary) story about losing a beloved toy. That summer night, the toys were left outside. . . . For the very first time, the Wonderdoll, the helpful wind-up robot, the thoughtful green dinosaur, and the rest of their plucky gang lie in the grass, gazing up at the stars. But one star seems brighter than the rest. As it grows bigger and bigger, the toys realize it may not be a star at all! Soon they’re venturing into the unknown, traveling by spaceship, where they meet a lonely alien in need of help, and some friends.
From ever-inventive, award-winning author-illustrator Mini Grey comes a hilarious and heartfelt new adventure: a motley group of toys left outside in the garden become true friends and brave heroes – in space!

Space & our world

The Comet By Joe Todd-Stanton

When Nyla is forced to leave her home in the country to start life again in the city, all she can think about is everything she misses from before.
So when a comet comes crashing through the city streets and starts growing into a forest, Nyla can’t resist a chance to head somewhere that feels closer to what she had before … but what starts as an escape could be just the thing to make her finally feel at home.

Similarities & differences

Tadpole’s Promise By Jeanne Willis

Tadpole loves his rainbow friend, the caterpillar, and she tells him she loves everything about him. “Promise that you will never change,” she says. But as the seasons pass and he matures, his legs grow, and then his arms – and what happens to his beautiful rainbow friend? As he sits on his lily pad, digesting a butterfly, Tadpole little realises that now he will never know! Follow the predictable changes of a tadpole and a caterpillar to their natural conclusion in this award winning picture book.

Similarities & differences

Leo and the Octopus By Isabelle Marinov

The world was too bright for Leo. And too loud. “I must be living on the wrong planet,” Leo thought. Leo struggles to make sense of the world. He doesn’t understand the other children in his class, and they don’t seem to understand him. But then one day, Leo meets Maya. Maya is an octopus, and the more Leo learns about her, the more he thinks that perhaps he isn’t alone in this world, after all. “The sensitive descriptions throughout the book of what it is like to have autism are accurate and perceptive on so many levels” (Professor Tony Attwood, author of Asperger’s Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals).

Similarities & differences

The Owl and the Pussy-cat By Edward Lear

Gruffalo author, Julia Donaldson, revisits Edward Lear’s favourite rhyme in this wonderful new story set in a nonsensical land full of adventure. When their beautiful golden ring is stolen, the Owl and the Pussy-cat must travel far from the safety of the Bong-tree glade as their search for the thief leads them across the Sea, to the Chankly Bore and beyond…

Change & relationships

The Odd Egg By Emily Gravett

All the birds have eggs to hatch. All except Duck. When Duck is delighted to find an egg of his own to look after: it’s the most beautiful egg in the whole world! But all the other birds think it’s a very odd egg indeed – and everyone’s in for a big surprise when it finally hatches.

Change & relationships

Grandad’s Camper By Harry Woodgate

A long time ago, Grandad and Gramps spent many happy days travelling the world together in a camper van. But now Gramps isn’t around any more, Grandad doesn’t feel much like having adventures. As she listens to his wonderful stories, Grandad’s granddaughter has an idea to cheer him up…

Change & relationships

If All the World Were By Joseph Coelho

This beautiful story tells the love that one little girl has for her ageing grandad. They spend each season having fun together but she knows he is not well. One day he isn’t there anymore, but the little girl finds evidence of their happy times together. She knows she has memories and imagination enough to keep her grandad alive and she remembers him smiling and laughing.

Change & relationships

Lost and Found By Oliver Jeffers

From the rising star of children’s picture books comes the magical tale of friendship and loneliness, a boy and a penguin. There once was a boy… and one day a penguin arrives on his doorstep. The boy decides the penguin must be lost and tries to return him. But no one seems to be missing a penguin. So the boy decides to take the penguin home himself, and they set out in his row boat on a journey to the South Pole. But when they get there, the boy discovers that maybe home wasn’t what the penguin was looking for after all.

Fantasy journeys

Ocean Meets Sky By Oliver Jeffers

From the creators of the gorgeous bestseller The Night Gardener comes a stunning new picture book about a young boy who sets sail to find a place his grandfather told him about…the spot where the ocean meets the sky. It’s a good day for sailing.

Finn lives by the sea and the sea lives by him. Every time he looks out his window it’s a constant reminder of the stories his grandfather told him about the place where the ocean meets the sky. Where whales and jellyfish soar and birds and castles float. Finn’s grandfather is gone now but Finn knows the perfect way to honor him. He’ll build his own ship and sail out to find this magical place himself! And when he arrives, maybe, just maybe, he’ll find something he didn’t know he was looking for.

Fantasy journeys

The Great Fire of London By Emma Adams & James Weston Lewis

In 1666, London’s citizens woke to see the skyline above their city’s cramped wooden houses ablaze. The Great Fire of London is a hauntingly beautiful visual re-telling of one of the most well-known disasters in the city’s history. To commemorate the 350th anniversary of the fire, powerful and sumptuous drawings from the new east London illustrator, James Weston Lewis, bring the events of November 1666 to life in this stunning gift book. Lewis’s drawings take readers on a journey, from the single smouldering coal that falls out of the baker’s oven to the swirling clouds of ash that engulf the city and then in to the very heart of the fire itself. As the pages turn, you can witness London burning to the ground and then rebuilding again.

Stuctures & materials

Dadaji’s Paintbrush By Rashmi Sirdeshpande

This beautiful book will help children discover that bereavement can be a beginning, not an ending, as we follow the inspirational story of one boy’s grief when he loses his beloved grandfather. Dadaji loves to teach others to paint, especially his grandson. But after Dadaji passes away, the boy can’t bear to use the favourite paintbrush his grandfather left for him. When a little girl knocks on the door, the boy discovers how many lives Dadaji touched with his art, and finds a way to continue his legacy.

Stuctures & materials

Iggy Peck, Architect By Andrea Beaty

Iggy Peck has been building fabulous creations since he was two. His parents are proud of their son, though sometimes surprised by some of Iggy’s more inventive creations (like the tower he built out of used diapers). When a new second grade teacher declares her dislike of architecture, Iggy faces a challenge. He loves building too much to give it up!

Stuctures & materials

Rosie Revere, Engineer By Andrea Beaty

From the powerhouse author/illustrator team of Iggy Peck, Architect comes Rosie Revere, Engineer, another charming, witty picture book about pursuing your passion. Rosie may seem quiet during the day, but at night she’s a brilliant inventor of gizmos and gadgets who dreams of becoming a great engineer. When her Great, Great Aunt Rose (Rosie the Riveter) comes for a visit and mentions her one unfinished goal – to fly – Rosie sets to work building a contraption to make her aunt’s dream come true. Her invention complete, Rosie attempts a test flight, but after a moment, the machine crashes to the ground. Discouraged, Rosie deems the invention a failure, but Aunt Rose insists that on the contrary, it was a raging success. You can only truly fail, she explains, if you quit. Reassured, Rosie returns to her engineering and inspires her classmates to join in the fun.

Stuctures & materials

Billy and the Beast By Nadia Shireen

While out on a lovely walk in the woods, Billy and her trusty sidekick Fatcat hear a terrible rumble… a terrible rumble coming from a Terrible Beast! He’s making a Terrible Soup out of all of Billy and Fatcat’s friends! Luckily, our brave heroine Billy has a trick or two up her sleeve (or in her hair)… Join quick-thinking Billy on her mission to defeat the Terrible Beast (and save those adorable little bunny rabbits too).

Heroes & villains

Wolves By Emily Gravett

Rabbit borrows a book about wolves from the library. Straightforward enough. But it’s not long before a sinister figure with sharp claws and a bushy tail starts to creep right off the pages. You won’t believe your eyes – especially if you’re a rabbit.

Heroes & villains

Send for a Superhero By Michael Rosen

It’s time for bed and Dad is reading Emily and little Elmer a story… “Danger! Filth and Vacuum, The Terrible Two, are trying to destroy the world!” Who will save the day? Steel Man isn’t strong enough; Flying-Through-the-Air-Very-Fast-Man isn’t fast enough and Incredibly-Big-Strong-Green-Man isn’t big, strong and green enough. Who can help? Clever young Brad 40 has a brilliant idea: he calls on a most unlikely superhero: Incredibly Boring Man, who sends the villains – and everyone else – to sleep! Filth and Vacuum are captured by the army, Brad is a hero, and Dad thinks Emily and Elmer have fallen asleep too. But he’s wrong…

Heroes & villains

Lubna and Pebble By Wendy Meddour

Lubna’s best friend is a pebble. She found it on the beach when they arrived in the night, then she fell asleep in Daddy’s salty arms. Lubna tells Pebble everything. About home. About her brothers. About the war. Pebble always listens to her stories and smiles when she feels afraid. But when a lost little boy arrives in the World of Tents, Lubna understands that he needs Pebble even more than she does . . .

Helpfulness & kindness

Jim and the Beanstalk By Raymond Briggs

In this re-telling of the classic children’s story by author of The Snowman Raymond Briggs, a little boy called Jim finds a beanstalk outside his window one morning. Like his predecessor Jack, he decides to climb it – and at the top, he finds a huge castle and a rather grumpy giant. But this giant isn’t at all what Jim expected . . .

Helpfulness & kindness

House Held Up By Trees By Ted Kooser

When the house was new, not a single tree remained on its perfect lawn to give shade from the sun. The children in the house trailed the scent of wild trees to neighbouring lots, where thick bushes offered secret places to play. When the children grew up and moved away, their father, alone in the house, continued his battle against blowing seeds, plucking out sprouting trees – until one day he, too, moved away. Then, as the empty house began its decline, the trees began to take over. At once wistful and exhilarating, this lovely, lyrical story evokes the inexorable passage of time – and the awe-inspiring power of nature to lift us up.

Helpfulness & kindness

The Bear Under the Stairs By Helen Cooper

William is scared of the place under the stairs. He is absolutely sure there’s a great big and probably hungry grizzly bear lurking there. He is utterly convinced that the bear will gobble him up if he doesn’t feed it, so every day he carefully opens the door, throws in some food and slams it shut quickly – wham, bang, thump! Find out what happens when a nasty smell pervades the house and Mum and William decide to investigate . . .

Storybook bears

I Want My Hat Back By Jon Klassen

The bear’s hat is gone, and he wants it back. Patiently and politely, he asks the animals he comes across, one by one, whether they have seen it. Each animal says no, some more elaborately than others. But just as it he begins to lose hope, lying flat on his back in despair, a deer comes by and asks a rather obvious question that suddenly sparks the bear’s memory and renews his search with a vengeance. Told completely in dialogue, this quirky take on the classic repetitive tale plays out in sly illustrations laced with visual humour and winks at the reader with a wry irreverence that will have kids of all ages thrilled to be in on the joke.

Storybook bears

Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish By Michael Foreman

Dinosaurs have taken over the Earth! They’re stomping and stamping all over the place. Young readers will love finding out why in this classic environmental tale from best-selling author/illustrator Michael Foreman. A fable for our time, and as relevant today as it was when it was first published in 1972.

Beasts & monsters

The Minpins By Roald Dahl

Little Billy’s mum says he must never go out through the garden gate and explore the dark forest beyond. So, one day, that’s exactly what he does. There he meets the Minpins: miniature people who live int he hollow trees. They soon warn Little Billy of the fearsome, galloping Gruncher, who has grunched thousands of Minpins. And it will gobble up Little Billy too – uness he can find a way to defeat the hungry beast, once and for all…

Beasts & monsters

The Dragon Machine By Helen Ward

The perfect introduction to the legendary world of dragons, The Dragon Machine uses a clever mix of text and illustrations to describe how George, a young, overlooked boy, becomes aware of dragons hiding all around him.
But when it becomes apparent that they don’t belong in George’s ordinary world, he endeavours to do the best for his new friends and find them the home they deserve.

Beasts & monsters

Pig the Pug By Aaron Babley

Pig is the greediest Pug in the world. He is bad-tempered, rude and he never, ever shares. Friendly sausage dog Trevor is always trying to persuade Pig to play with him, but without success. When Pig is asked to share his toys, his greed finally backfires and something unexpected happens to him. Will Pig the Pug learn his lesson at last?

Fictional worlds

Dragon Post By Emma Yarlet

A fiery story about friendship and asking for help from award-winning author-illustrator Emma Yarlett. One day Alex finds a dragon living under his stairs. He isn’t sure what to do – but luckily he knows just who to ask for help. Open the envelopes and read the hilarious letters Alex receives from the fire brigade, the butcher and more as he tries to take care of his new friend. Who would have thought having a dragon for a pet would be so tricky? A joyful, touching and vibrantly illustrated interactive book.

Fictional worlds

Julian Is A Mermaid By Jessica Love

While riding the subway home with his Nana one day, Julian notices three women spectacularly dressed up. Their hair billows in brilliant hues, their dresses end in fishtails, and their joy fills the train carriage. When Julian gets home, daydreaming of the magic he’s seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies and making his own fabulous mermaid costume. But what will Nana think about the mess he makes – and even more importantly – what will she think about how Julian sees himself?

Fictional worlds

Stanley’s Stick By John Hegley

Stanley’s stick is not just a stick. With a stick in hand, Stanley’s options are endless – he flies to the moon, writes in the sand, goes fishing, plays a whistle and rides a dinosaur – and his imagination takes over and the magic begins.
Hegley’s lyrical prose captures the free-wheeling expressiveness of childhood, and Layton’s deceptively simple illustrations are full of wit and character. Sweet, magical and thoroughly entertaining, this is Hegley and Layton’s first collaboration.

Urban & rural adventures

Last Stop on Market Street By Matt de la Peña

Every Sunday after church, CJ and his grandma ride the bus across town. But today, CJ wonders why they don’t own a car like his friend Colby. Why doesn’t he have an iPod like the boys on the bus? How come they always have to get off in the dirty part of town? Each question is met with an encouraging answer from grandma, who helps him see the beauty and fun in their routine and in the world around them. This energetic ride through a bustling city highlights the love and understanding between grandparent and grandchild as the world comes to life through Matt de la Pena’s vibrant text and Christian Robinson’s radiant illustrations.

Urban & rural adventures

Lizzy and the Cloud The Fan Brothers

From the critically acclaimed, award-winning creators of Ocean Meets Sky and The Night Gardener comes a whimsical and sweet tale of a young girl who cares for her pet cloud as it grows. It’s a little out of fashion to buy a pet cloud, but Lizzy doesn’t mind. She’s not looking for a big one or a fancy one, just one that’s right for her. And she finds it in Milo. Soon, she’s taking Milo out on walks with her family, watering Milo right on schedule, and seeing Milo grow and grow. But what happens when her pet cloud gets too big for Lizzy to handle?

Urban & rural adventures

A walk in London By Salvatore Rubino

London – the perfect place for a girl and her mother to spend the day! Follow them as they board the classic red bus and begin a whirlwind tour of some of London’s most iconic landmarks. Try to climb the awe-inspiring lions at Trafalgar Square, take in the ritualistic Changing of the Guard, experience the whispering gallery at St Paul’s and – if you’re lucky – you may even spot the Queen! In this paean to Britain’s bright and bustling capital city, Salvatore Rubbino’s fresh, lively paintings and breezy text capture the delight of a young visitor experiencing the wonders of London first-hand. And of course, what’s London without a little rain?

Urban & rural adventures