Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

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Toys

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From dolls and teddies to sticks and balls, toys can hold a special place in the hearts of children. It’s no surprise that the topic of toys and games is always a hit with children, who love learning about toys from the past and toys around the world. We’ve put together a selection of the best children’s books about the topic of toys.

Stories about lost toys

Cressida Cowell
 & Neal Layton
Picturebook
A stunning reissue of this classic picture book. When the Queen steals Emily Brown's favourite toy and erstwhile companion, a toy rabbit called Stanley, Emily sets out to get him back and teach that naughty queen a valuable lesson! Winner of the 2006 Nestle Gold Award, chosen for the Richard & Judy Christmas book party, a Bookaboo Book Club book as seen on CITV and read by Amanda Holden.
Emily Rand
Picturebook
A little girl and her mummy are visiting Grandpa on the train. It's very busy - hold on tight! But when they arrive at their destination something is wrong . . . teddy has gone missing. Just when it looks like she'll never see Teddy again, Grandpa has an idea! And suddenly the little girl is off on a magical journey to rescue her teddy. Have you ever wondered where your lost objects go? With charming and stylish illustrations, this books is perfect for curious minds.
Emma Chichester Clark
Picturebook
Every night Blue Kangaroo falls fast asleep, cuddled in Lily's arms. But as new toy animals start arriving, Blue Kangaroo worries that there just isn't enough room for him anymore. When he goes missing, Lily looks everywhere for him and it turns out NONE of the other toys mean as much to her as her first and favourite Blue Kangaroo.
Ian Beck
Picturebook

This picture book tells the story of Tom, whose teddy is snatched in the middle of the night. Tom sets out to get to the bottom of the mystery and find the Teddy Robber himself. Can he save all of the missing bears?

Shirley Hughes
Picturebook
When Dave loses his favourite toy, Dogger, he is very sad. But when Dogger turns up on a stall at the garden fete, everything seems all right - until someone else buys him before Dave can get the money! Voted the public's favourite CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal winner, this is a tale to which all children and their parents can relate, brought to life by Olivia Colman's heartwarming reading.

Helen Cooper
Picturebook
Molly's toy rabbit, Tatty Ratty, is lost again. Might he be driving a train?...or sailing on a pirate ship? An imaginative and heart-warming story, with glowing illustrations from Helen Cooper, twice winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal.
Ian Whybrow
 & Adrian Reynolds
Picturebook

This hugely popular picture book is part of the ‘Harry and the Dinosaurs’ series. Harry discovers some dusty plastic dinosaurs and claims them for his own, cleaning them up and carrying them everywhere he goes in a bucket. But what will happen when he loses his beloved dinosaurs one day?

Stories about toys coming to life

Julia Donaldson
 & Rebecca Cobb
Picturebook
The Paper Dolls is a stunning, lyrical story of childhood, memory and the power of imagination from Julia Donaldson, the author of The Gruffalo , and award-winning illustrator Rebecca Cobb. A string of paper dolls go on a fantastical adventure through the house and out into the garden. They soon escape the clutches of the toy dinosaur and the snapping jaws of the oven-glove crocodile, but then a very real pair of scissors threatens . . . The Paper Dolls is a beautiful and evocative story from Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb, the bestselling creators of The Everywhere Bear.
Mini Grey
Picturebook

This is another wonderful story from popular picture book author Mini Grey (author of Traction Man). When a child’s toys are left out in the garden over night, they get unexpectedly beamed into space. The toys use their best storytelling skills to cope with their new surroundings and problem-solve their way back home. There are some great ideas for activities to go with this book on the Teachwire website.

David Lucas
Picturebook

When the toy museum closes each evening, all the toys come to life. Bunting, the old toy cat, takes it upon himself to count and inspect the toys and give them a history lesson. But one night the toys decide to teach Bunting how to have some fun. This enchanting story has detailed illustrations and children will love to spot the different toys scattered throughout the pages.

Mini Grey
Picturebook

This is a high quality text full of detailed comic-style illustrations. It follows the adventures of an Action-Man style hero with an outfit for every occasion. His daily superhero challenges include rescuing lost toys, diving in the sieve-wreck and saving distressed damsels. Highly recommended for KS1.

Stories about imaginative play

John Hegley
 & Neal Layton
Picturebook

With the power of Stanley’s imagination, a simple stick can become any kind of toy that he wants. This entertaining story with brilliant illustrations is a celebration of children’s imaginary play.

Jan and Jerry Oke
Picturebook
This is a photo book that has become very popular in Early Years and KS1! It follows the story of a boy's adventures with his toy bus, told through the voice of the bus itself. If you are looking for something a little bit different for your topic, we highly recommend this one!

Non-Fiction books about toys

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