Down in the Jungle (EYFS)

Making his first appearance in 1968, Elmer the Patchwork Elephant has been entertaining young readers for decades and remains one of the most iconic and well-known children’s book characters of all time.

The Elmer stories feature a bright and multicoloured main character who inspires readers to embrace inclusivity, connect with friends and find joy in celebrating difference.

A classic book for Reception and Early Years children.

This bright picturebook by Anthony Browne is set against the backdrop of a tropical jungle and follows a curious elephant who takes a wander and becomes lost from his Mum.

The jungle plants and animals are beautifully depicted in the illustrations, with clever patterns and hidden motifs injecting a real layer of intrigue and fun surprise into this lost and found story.

The simple story structure and evocative descriptions make this story book a good choice for infant classrooms, with a fun cast of animal characters to appeal to children.

A captivating picture book that marries a lyrical and rhythmic story about bedtime fears with striking artwork inspired by Indian folklore.

It is bedtime for the baby animals; the dark blanket sky is filled with an enormous moon and twinkling stars. But the comforting allure of night time soon gives way to fears when the winds rise and a thunder storm begins to set in. “You’re Safe With Me,” reassures Mama Elephant, as she explains the natural processes behind each stage of the storm, from the water raining down on the plants to make them grow to the clouds colliding to create crackling thunder. Through Mama Elephant’s storytelling and simple explanations, the animals are reassured in the knowledge that the noises and movements of the storm are natural processes and eventually feel safe to sleep soundly again.

The lyrical narrative has a lullaby feel with its onomatopoeia and lilting rhythm, evoking the connection between the environment’s natural processes and the baby animals’ instinctive sleep cycle. The text weaves its way beautifully through the distinctive artwork that embodies the sensuous and exotic jungle through a filter of earthy tones and an intricate pattern design inspired by traditional Indian prints.

This is a beautiful story about feeling safe and about how gaining an understanding of the natural world can help to overcome fears, and it would make a lovely classroom library addition for EYFS and KS1.

Tiny Owl’s ‘One Story, Many Voices’ range celebrates a rich global heritage of story-telling. It explores how many stories from around the world have their own flavour but also striking similarities. Sufiya Ahmed’s recent addition to the series, Under The Great Plum Tree, is based upon the stories of the Panchatantra, a collection of ancient Indian animal fables.

Miss Bandari, the kind-hearted monkey, and Mr Magarmach, an old crocodile who likes to tell stories of his youth, have become unlikely friends. Each day they meet under a plum tree to share fruit and tales. Until the day when Mr Magarmach decides to take Miss Bandari for lunch at King Crocodile’s swamp. Will they just enjoy a nice meal together or is King Crocodile trying to manipulate their friendship to get his own tasty lunch?

This is a beautifully written picture book about the nature of friendship and forgiveness. It would be a wonderful text for exploration and discussion relating to work in PHSE or Philosophy for Children. It could form the basis of a debate on the importance of forgiveness in friendships and family relationships. Due to the underlying message of Under The Great Plum Tree, it also could be used for comparing/contrasting with fables from other traditions.

Reza Dalvand’s strikingly vibrant illustrations are inspired by Indo-Persian tradition. The depiction of the lush foliage in the jungle lends itself well to the study of shapes found in nature. The use of pattern and marking would make a great stimulus for exploration in sketchbooks.

I absolutely loved Under The Great Plum Tree and think it’s a must for traditional tale collections!