Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Author & Illustrators

Lydia Monks Books

Six Queens

Non-fiction

This is a beautifully illustrated book, as you would expect from Lydia Monks. Unlike so many other books out there about the wives of Henry VIII, this one features the skills and accomplishments of each of the wives, so they are not simply remembered by the old rhyme of ‘divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.’

Each wife is given around 10 dedicated pages to their story. Explaining clearly how they came to marry the King, the things they achieved while married to him (and after for the survivors), with a mixture of small, appealing fact boxes and more detailed paragraphs about different aspects of their life and marriage.

This is an easy Tudor-themed read which could be devoured in one sitting or revisited time and again.

Adoette

Lydia Monks

Picturebook

“As long as people are caring and kind, there is always hope, even when things seem hopeless.” This is the moral conveyed in this stunning picture book about the life of a big tree called Adoette.

This is a great book for school or home by author-illustrator Lydia Monks (best known for her collaborations with Julia Donaldson). Adoette is a tree (French for ‘big tree’) that has presided over the street for 100 years, seeing times change, people change, priorities change. This community-themed book would be great to use across the curriculum and could be used across a whole school.

At its heart, this is a story about how nothing lasts forever, but how you can have a positive impact wherever you are and leave a legacy.

The Singing Mermaid

Julia Donaldson & Lydia Monks

Picturebook

A sparkling rhyming story from the fantastic storytelling dream team of Julia Donaldson and illustrator Lydia Monks (also known for What the Ladybird Heard).

The book is about a singing mermaid who is sneakily lured by Sam Sly’s big promises of fame in his circus. The mermaid sadly discovers that the reality doesn’t match the promises and wishes to go back to her beloved home. Unable to leave, she calls upon the help of new friends to make her escape back to freedom.

At its heart this is a simple story that values team work and friendship as the route to happiness and shows that all that glitters is not necessarily gold. Many children love mermaid characters, and others will simply enjoy the defeat of the sly baddy and the triumph of the unlikely heroes. Julia Donaldson’s excellent rhyming verses make this really fun to read aloud, and children really enjoy the bright, textured illustrations.

Sugarlump and the Unicorn

Julia Donaldson & Lydia Monks

Picturebook

Follow the adventures of Sugarlump the rocking horse and a magical unicorn in this delightful rhyming story from the stellar picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks, creators of What the Ladybird Heard.

When Sugarlump the rocking horse longs to see the world, a magical unicorn with a silver horn and sparkling blue eyes grants his wish and turns him into a real horse. But after trotting around the farm, galloping around a racetrack and even dancing at the circus, Sugarlump learns to be careful what he wishes for. Luckily the unicorn has one more wish to grant . . .

With brilliant rhyming verse and bright and distinctive illustrations, Sugarlump and the Unicorn is a perfect story for reading together.

Enjoy all the stories from Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks: Sharing a Shell, The Princess and the Wizard, The Rhyming Rabbit, The Singing Mermaid, Sugarlump and the Unicorn, Princess Mirror-Belle and the Dragon Pox, What the Ladybird Heard, What the Ladybird Heard Next and What the Ladybird Heard on Holiday.

The Rhyming Rabbit

Julia Donaldson & Lydia Monks

Picturebook

A springy rhyming book from super duo Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks (also known for What the Ladybird Heard).

This story book is about a rabbit who loves poetry and rhyme. He feels a lack of belonging with the other rabbits, who are not so delighted by his literary talents. In search of companions who share his passion, he leaves home to look for somewhere he belongs and find a place his poetry might be more appreciated.

Julia Donaldson is renowned for excellent rhyming picture books, so there is something extra pleasing in a book from her that is about rhyme as well as being told in rhyme. Perfectly pitched to support phonics learning as well as being a distinctively illustrated fun animal tale, we found this to be a lovely story for children in the Early Years.

What the Ladybird Heard at Christmas

Julia Donaldson & Lydia Monks

Picturebook

Packed full of fun, What the Ladybird Heard at Christmas is a fantastically lively rhyming adventure from the bestselling picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks.

In a big old house, the ladybird is visiting her friend the spider for the festive season. But those two bad men, Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len, are up to no good again. They have a devious plan – to steal the children’s Christmas presents from their stockings! It’s a good thing that the clever little ladybird has overheard their awful plotting, and she has a cunning plan to make sure they don’t get away with it.

What the Ladybird Heard

Julia Donaldson & Lydia Monks

Picturebook

What the Ladybird Heard is a huge favourite amongst preschoolers, parents and teachers. With everything from farm animals and minibeasts to sneaky crooks and fantastic lilting rhymes, this brightly illustrated story from national treasure Julia Donaldson is a clear winner for storytimes in the Early Years.

Young children love joining in the repeated refrains of animal sounds and seeing the plot unfold as the cunning little ladybird saves the day by helping her farmyard friends outsmart two burglars looking to steal the prize cow.

A classroom classic from an author-illustrator dream team.

Mouse’s Big Day

Lydia Monks

Picturebook

It’s the first day at school for Mouse and she has already decided that she doesn’t want to go. The teacher sets a challenge for the new children and before long, Mouse finds out plenty of interesting and fun things about her classmates. A gorgeously bright and cheerful picture book exploring feelings of shyness about starting a new setting, from the illustrator of What the Ladybird Heard.

Aaaarrgghh, Spider!

Lydia Monks

Picturebook

Little Spider has a lot to prove when she wants to be the family pet. Can she convince a family who is scared of spiders to keep her?

This brightly illustrated picturebook is an uplifting story about acceptance and EYFS children love to join in (sometimes very loudly!) with the repeated phrases. We love Lydia Monk’s textured pages, making this well-loved storybook a treat for the eyes, ears and hands!

Sharing a Shell

Julia Donaldson & Lydia Monks

Picturebook

A seaside favourite from the stellar picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks, When Crab finds a new shell, he doesn’t want to share it with anyone – especially not a blobby purple anemone and a tickly bristleworm. But life in the rock pool proves tougher than Crab thinks and he soon finds he needs his new housemates. With brilliant rhythmic verse, bright and distinctive illustrations, this is a firm storytime favourite.