Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Home > Books

Format: Picturebook

Picturebook

Start Small, Think Big is a series that sets young readers on a journey of discovery, beginning from the small and familiar to new areas of knowledge where they really have to think big!

Little Brown Nut starts small, with a large, weighty fruit falling from the tallest tree in the Amazon rainforest. Inside is a little brown Brazil nut, surrounded by 19 others. It sits and waits for an agouti, a rodent with teeth so strong that it can free the nut from its hard casing. The story of the Brazil nut tree and the agouti is told clearly and carefully, with facts about germination, photosynthesis, seed dispersal. The narrative progresses in a way that builds understanding and the gorgeous illustrations bring the story and the science to life.

Thinking BIG, the book shows why the rainforest is important to local people and the wider world. A big fold-out has a world map, an at-a-glance lifecycle, and a Rainforest I-Spy of the animals to take children back into the book.

Picturebook

You Can Do Anything, Tyrone! is a fantastic fun tale of imagination and adventure from the award-winning comedian and actor Sir Lenny Henry.

Tyrone is going to build a brilliant rocket ship out of building blocks and go on an adventure to the moon! There’s just one problem . . . the blocks won’t work, and Tyrone quickly loses his temper. Luckily, Grandad Cleveland is on hand to show him that with self belief, a bit of determination and a lot of imagination, there’s nothing Tyrone can’t do. In fact, why stop at the moon when there’s the rest of the world and a whole universe to explore!

A highly entertaining rhyming story full of love, family and fun – brilliantly brought to life by illustrator Salomey Doku.

Picturebook

A beautifully illustrated story with a gentle and encouraging message to help children deal with their worries – from the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal winner Catherine Rayner.

Victor the wolf has lots of worries. He worries that he isn’t brave enough, that he isn’t big enough and that he isn’t fierce enough. In fact, Victor feels anxious about almost everything. But when Victor shares his concerns with his best friend Pablo, he starts to feel a bit better. And with Pablo’s help, Victor learns even more ways to deal with those pesky worrying thoughts. And as the worries grow smaller, Victor feels a bit bigger, a bit braver, and bit fiercer inside!

Victor, The Wolf With Worries is a comforting and reassuring tale that is especially helpful for little ones who have trouble talking about their feelings.

Picturebook

A moving tale of grit, endurance and self-belief to inspire young explorers and dreamers from a stunningly talented debut.

Dr Morley is about to embark on a quest to the northernmost tip of the world, to discover a creature that everyone talks about but nobody has ever seen: The Giant Arctic Jellyfish. After years of research and hard graft, she gathers together a highly trained crew and a boat full of specialist equipment, and sets sail for the vast icy scapes of the Arctic. Will she find what she is searching for? Or will it find her?

From debut author-illustrator Chloe Savage comes a beautifully detailed adventure into the unknown, sure to captivate the imagination of young explorers.

Picturebook

Mirabelle’s mum is a witch, her dad is a fairy, and she is a bit of both! A big football star is coming to Mirabelle’s school to watch them play, and Mirabelle is determined to impress her. With a sprinkling of magic on her shoes, and a little bit of potion on the ball, she’s bound to be the best! But things don’t quite go to plan, and with flying footballs, out-of-control shoes, and upset teammates, Mirabelle’s dreams of glory don’t look like they’re about to come true. Can Mirabelle discover that there’s more than one way to feel like a winner?

A magical and mischievous Mirabelle story with a football twist, perfect for enjoying during half time of the Women’s World Cup 2023!

Picturebook

Join the Digits for another action-packed adventure!

When the Digits start squabbling over whether odd or even numbers are best, Ten challenges everyone to a football match to settle the argument. Ideal for understanding odds and evens – you can count on the Digits to make numbers fun! This playful picture book series about a group of number friends is ideal for developing early maths skills.

Picturebook

What’s the point of art? This is the question Henri asks himself when his class is taken on a school trip to the local art gallery. Who wants pictures of old soup cans or melting watches? But when he encounters a painting with the most perfect blue, it creates a beautiful feeling. It’s blueberries, oceans, summer skies and butterflies all rolled into one. And then he wanders into a room with a chair and a sign that reads “Is this really a chair?” Henri decides to test it out, unleashing an explosion of creativity! Finally Henri understands what art is all about…

Following Isabelle Marinov’s successful Leo and the Octopus, this is a fun and encouraging story of a boy learning to appreciate art and its boundless creativity.

Picturebook

A fantastic rhyming story by Smriti Halls (I’m Sticking With You and Rain Before Rainbows), with dynamic illustrations from Richard Merritt (The Dinosaur Department Store), about discovering grit and building determination.

Diplodocus Dinah is BRILLIANT at everything. There’s nothing she can’t do and no competition she can’t win! But what happens when the Surfing Contest comes to Dino Town and Dinah discovers that surfing is something she just can’t dino-do! For the first time ever Dinah doesn’t come first. Will she be distraught? Or will she discover that there’s more to having fun than winning?

An encouraging and inspiring story, packed with hidden humour, that’s perfect for fans of Giles Andreae’s Giraffes Can’t Dance.

Picturebook

Sometimes I think my mind is like a house.

Just like a house, I need to treat my mind with love and care . . .

Written by a child psychologist, this beautiful book follows a young boy as he learns to love and accept himself, with all his flaws! Relatable characters and a gentle storyline introduce little ones to the concept of mental health in an accessible and engaging way, encouraging them to think about how to look after themselves and accept themselves for who they are. Featuring exquisite illustrations and tips on how to foster a life-long sense of wellbeing, this is a stunning addition to any library.

Be yourself in the world. Don’t give up! And love yourself for who you are.

Picturebook

The first-ever picture book from Adam Kay and Henry Paker.

This is the hilarious (and admittedly a tiny bit gross) tale of Amy, a small piece of sweetcorn who is eaten by Noah, a medium-sized boy. The story follows Amy on her funny, gooey and anatomically-accurate adventure through the human body as she discovers lots of facts about digestion. (It’s fair to say that parents might learn a little bit too.)

Subscribe to our newsletter

Your Review

Stone Girl Bone Girl

review

Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:

Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:

Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?

Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?

Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?

yes

Curriculum links (if relevant)

Curriculum links (if relevant)

Any other comments

Any other comments