Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Author & Illustrators

Anna Wilson Books

A Taste of Home

Picturebook

Empower little ones to be proud of where they come from with this beautifully illustrated celebration of food, family, and the magic of memories…

Tariq loves food, from delicious dinners with his big family to scrumptious surprises in his lunchbox at school.

But when he’s asked to bring in a special dish for his class picnic, Tariq begins to worry about how he’ll choose just one tasty favourite!

As his family inspire him with stories of their favourite foods, Tariq soon realises that choosing the perfect dish is about more than just how it tastes.

What special story would Tariq like his food to tell?

From the creators of Until You Find the Sun, winner of Best Picture Book at the Diverse Book Awards 2025. Written by Maryam Hassan, inspired by her childhood enjoying delicious South Asian dishes, and the joy she finds sharing it with new friends! Brought to life with stunning artwork by Anna Wilson.

Until You Find the Sun

Anna Wilson & Maryam Hassan

Picturebook

This heartfelt picture book tells the story of Aminah’s comfortable life – full of love, joy, family and sunshine – versus a new adventure that is the complete opposite: cold, grey and strange.

Everything is just fine for Aminah until she is told she and her parents are leaving. This is not the adventure she craves, especially as her grandfather is not coming with her. Landing in a cold, dark and grey new place, Aminah longs for everything she has lost, especially her Da. Her warmth and happiness are gone. But despite being scared of new surroundings, Aminah is encouraged to look for the sunshine, because then she will feel her Da in her heart.

This beautifully written and illustrated picture book combines the right sentiment of being brave to give something new a go, whilst holding on to what you’ve lost. Being kind and patient with yourself can be hard, but it is all too often worth it. This book will encourage conversations about coping with change and finding ways to stay connected to our loved ones, no matter the distance. Perfect for any age, I know this will be welcomed into any household, classroom or library to share, discuss and above all cherish.

Grandpa and the Kingfisher

Anna Wilson & Sarah Massini

Picturebook

Life-affirming and lyrical, this beautiful picture book celebrates the awesome power of nature, while gently introducing young children to the concept of life and death.

Over the course of a year, a young child and their dog watch kingfishers by the river with Grandpa. As spring turns to summer and autumn to winter, the kingfishers raise a family, while Grandpa teaches his grandchild about the power of nature and the circle of life.

Written in memory of her father, whose favourite bird was the kingfisher, Anna Wilson takes readers on a lyrical journey though a year in the life of a kingfisher family. Stunning illustrations by Sarah Massini bring the riverbank to life in all its glory, while the powerful intergenerational bond between grandparent and grandchild shows that just as spring always follows winter, hope will always return if you know where to look for it.

A positive story about life, death, and being a part of the natural world.

The Boy Who Brought the Snow

Anna Wilson & Hollie Hughes

Picturebook

A heartwarming story of winter magic from the bestselling author of The Girl and the Dinosaur.

Here’s a city hard at work,
with a billion bustling feet –
its spires and domes all stretching up
from cobbled knobbled streets . . .

In the heart of a great city lives a little boy without a home.
But when Quinn finds a magical snow globe, everything begins to change . . . For when snow begins to fall, magic and kindness start to find their way out into the world.

A beautiful, wintery story with a kernel of magic at its heart, this heartwarming tale is destined to become a new favourite at Christmas. With stunning illustrations by Anna Wilson, it’s perfect for fans of The Snowflake by Benji Davies.

The Heart Of A Giant

Anna Wilson & Hollie Hughes

Picturebook

Get ready for an epic journey of friendship and discovery from the bestselling author of The Girl and the Dinosaur.

There’s a shape up in the hills, where a giant’s said to sleep, beneath a grassy blanket, on a bed of moss and peat . . .

Then, one day, the sleeping giant wakes – and a small boy called Tom is plunged into an unforgettable adventure. Along the way, he’ll discover what it means to be a true friend – and that even an ordinary boy can have the heart of a giant.

With a beautiful rhyming text by bestselling Hollie Hughes, author of The Girl and the Dinosaur, and gorgeous illustrations from debut talent Anna Wilson, this beautiful book is an unmissable treat!