Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Publisher: Magic Cat Publishing

Patience

Non-fiction

Discover how there is a season for everything in this antidote to an instant world.

The concept of time is hard to grasp. From a single minute to a full century, hearts beat, trees bloom and grow – and a human lives a lifetime.

This book takes 18 different periods of time – from a single minute; to an hour; to over a century – to show the process of life, looking at biology in all its forms, from plants, animals and human biology too.

In one minute, learn that your heart beats over 100 times. In one day, learn how a dragonfly unfurls a pair of wings. In a season, watch a bear hibernate for winter. In over 80 years, see a human live a lifetime. Packed with real science but rooted in the deeper things in life, this poetic non-fiction anthology is sure to prompt questions between a parent and child.

This book is a perfect antidote to an instant world
· Discover how there is a season for everything in this book that explores the process of life
· A full illustrated step-by-step guide to lifecycles and the process of living things
· Watch and wonder at the journey of an apple tree from bud to fruit, watch a rainforest grow over 60 years and be amazed at all a human life contains from its beginnings as a baby to old age

Letters from the North Pole

Annie Atkins & Fia Tobing

Picturebook

Read five letters from Santa Claus himself in this beautifully illustrated book from renowned designer Annie Atkins.

Five children from all around the world write to Santa Claus with ideas for Christmas gifts and are amazed when he writes back! Discover five letters from Santa that children can pull out and read, each accompanied by a blueprint for their gift made by the elves in Santa’s Workshop. In each letter the hidden world of the North Pole is revealed, from how reindeer can sleep standing up to what snacks Santa would like left out on Christmas Eve and how he gets round the world so quickly. But will the gifts the children have requested be made in time?

This nostalgic, festive tale is written and art directed by Annie Atkins, the legendary film prop designer of The Grand Budapest Hotel,Isle of Dogs and Box Trolls, and beautifully illustrated by Fia Tobing.

A delightfully festive book for children aged 3+
· Features five real letters from the North Pole for children to pull out and open
· A first children’s book from film designer Annie Atkins with North Pole ephemera, stamps and letterheads designed by her
· A charming read aloud story perfect for curling up with at Christmas time

The World to Come

Emily Sutton & Johnny Flynn & Robert Macfarlane

Picturebook

On my way through the wood wound a thread through the dream…

Take a lyrical journey with a father and son who walk together through an ever-changing landscape and discover a world to come that’s filled with hope. This stunning picture book collaboration from bestselling author Robert Macfarlane, actor Johnny Flynn and illustrator Emily Sutton sings with a love of words and rhythm, and vividly conjures the magic of nature.

Little Dinosaurs, Big Feelings

Swapna Haddow & Yiting Lee

Short story collection

A mindful guide to mastering dinosaur-sized feelings from multi-award-winning author Swapna Haddow and her evolved dinosaur friend, Doctor Diplo.

The Life-Changing Magic of Skateboarding

Sky Brown

Non-fiction

A beginner’s guide to skateboarding, with secrets from world champion Sky Brown.

The Dinosaur Next Door

David Litchfield

Picturebook

A beautifully illustrated picture book asking the question: what if your quiet neighbour was secretly a dinosaur? A young girl called Liz knows her neighbour’s secret identity, but none of the grown-ups will listen. After a little gentle sleuthing, Liz uncovers a spectacular, magical world of dinosaurs where her enormous friend truly belongs.

With Litchfield’s expressive illustrations that capture the wonder of discovery, this delightful story explores themes of acceptance and understanding others. Liz learns to embrace others for who they are, making this dinosaur story a wonderful addition to any KS1 library.

Troll

Frances Stickley & Stefano Martinuz

Picturebook

A funny, heartwarming story about internet trolling and learning to love yourself.

Below the bridge,
beneath the log,
underneath the burping bog,
where townsfolk whispered, cringed and crept,
a terrifying monster slept…

In this funny tale, inspired by both internet trolls and The Three Billy Goats Gruff, there is a terrifying troll that lives under a bridge. Unseen, he delights in shouting nasty things to passers-by. But when a d/Deaf bunny unwittingly faces up to him, he realises that it’s not so fun to say nasty things to someone’s face. Can Troll finally learn to love himself and others?

Perfect for children aged 3+
· This is a funny story that addresses internet trolling in an accessible way
· A charming character-led tale with Troll learning the error of his ways and getting a second chance
· A d/Deaf inclusive story
· Features hilarious, bright illustrations

The Life Changing Magic of Chess

Denis Angelov & Maurice Ashley

Non-fiction

A beginner’s guide to chess, with secrets from Grandmaster Maurice Ashley.

Glow: A Child’s Guide to the Night Sky

Noelia Gonzalez & Sara Boccaccini Meadows

Non-fiction

Discover 15 stars, planets and constellations, and learn how to spot them in this spellbinding introduction to the night sky for all budding astronomers and astronauts.

Understand the phases of the moon, learn to navigate by the North Star and discover how to travel through space and time from your own window.

Follow the accessible descriptions of how to locate famous constellations and asterisms, including Orion’s Belt, the Plough and the Great Bear.

Then read the mythology and folklore associated with the night sky – from the man in the moon to Orion the Hunter – as the book uncovers how humankind has its history woven into the constellations that light up our skies.

This book has stunning illustrations throughout and is theperfect introduction to the night sky for children everywhere. The perfect introduction to our solar system for readers aged 5+ · Discover famous constellations including Orion, the Great Bear, the Little Bear and the Plough and discover the mythology associated with them · Learn how to spot the North Star and all the planets · Explore curriculum science: understand the phases of the moon and the difference between a solar and lunar eclipse · Written by NASA science writer Noelia González · Gorgeous artwork on every page from bestselling illustrator Sara Boccaccini Meadows

She Speaks: The Women of Greek Myths in Their Own Words

Camelia Pham & Honor Cargill-Martin

Short story collection

Full of short but wonderfully detailed stories of the feminine heroes in Greek mythology, this is a perfect addition to any bookshelf of someone interested in history and Ancient Greece.

Every last detail has been considered, including the contents page, which shows a picture of each woman and a short synopsis of their story, for example, Ariadne: the Cretan princess who helped crack the Labyrinth and stop the Minotaur. Who would not want to read such an intriguing tale? Each story is written in first person, from the viewpoint of the female, a side that has not always been told before.

Though the stories are not in full, they give enough details to inspire a love of Greek mythology. It even ends with a section entitled, ‘What happened next?’ with a short insight into the future of these famous women. This book will surely be an inspiration to many and foster that interest in Ancient Greece and the tales from there.

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Publisher: Magic Cat Publishing

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