Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Author & Illustrators

Catherine Emmett Books

The Rainbow Flamingo

Picturebook

Adele, a flamingo with hidden rainbow feathers, struggles with her uniqueness, but as she embraces her true colours, she discovers the joy of being herself. This story encourages children to celebrate their individuality and find confidence in authenticity. The illustrations are wonderful – you’ll just love the colours – and Catherine’s rhyming is – as ever- totally spot-on.

The Dodo Who Dreamed She Could Fly

Catherine Emmett & Claire Powell

Picturebook

An inspiring story about the incredible things that can happen when you give something a try, from award-winning author Catherine Emmett and bestselling illustrator Claire Powell.

Delilah did not often talk of her dream, in case others laughed at how daft it might seem.
For like all those others, this small dodo knew, there never had been any dodos who flew.

Meet Delilah. She’s on a mission to be the first dodo to take flight – and she won’t let what any of the other dodos say stand in her way. This heart-warming story of perseverance, from the Oscar’s Book Prize shortlisted author of The Pet, will strike a chord with anyone who’s ever dared to dream. Brought to life with fabulous artwork from the illustrator of The Night Before the Night Before Christmas. This empowering story is perfect for fans of Rachel Bright.

Sammy Striker and the Football Cup

Catherine Emmett & Joe Berger

Picturebook

A fabulous sports-themed picture book with the driving force to follow your dreams no matter what they look like. Beautifully written in rhyme, this is an inclusive book and it is wonderful – but rare – to see girls represented in football in a picture book for younger ages.

Sammy Striker is a girl with a passion for football: she loves it so much she is NEVER without a football. At home, school, come rain or shine and she is always the striker who wins her team the game. But when picked for the county team her skills start to crumble. Her talented strikes miss and her confidence has dipped. When match day comes Sammy is feeling nervous and unsure but she has a challenge to face. Will she turn this game around?

Everyone needs to know that when things get tough, someone will be there for them and put them back on track. Catherine Emmett has done this beautifully representing girls in football and showing them we are all special in our unique way.

King of the Swamp

Ben Mantle & Catherine Emmett

Picturebook

McDarkly lives alone in the swamp, happily tending his neat garden of orchids in peace. But then, one day, in rides the pompous and rather rude King, who wants to turn McDarkly’s peaceful (if slightly dank and dark) home into a roller skate park!

Luckily, the young princess is a botantist at heart, and manages to win the swamp a reprieve – the King and his retinue of minions will return in ten days to see the orchids bloom. McDarkly believes that with hard work, and a LOT of shovelling, he can be ready….that is, until the orchid-munching caterpillars descend!

King of the Swamp is a lovely picture book to read aloud – the lilting, rhyming text just begs to be read out loud in a sing-song voice. The watery colour scheme of the swamp has the perfect balance of dripping weeds and big-eyed critters peeping from behind reeds and logs. With a gentle happy ending, as the swamp becomes a nature reserve, the book would link well in the classroom with units on things that grow and care for the environment. Catherine Emmett’s text and Ben Mantle’s illustrations are a successful pairing and I hope to see them working together again soon.