Reading For Pleasure: Storytime Favourites

No Matter What

Picturebook

I’ll always love you no matter what …’

‘No matter what?’ Small asks. But what if Small turns into a bug, or a crocodile, or even a grizzly bear?

Small has all sorts of questions about love, and Large must reassure this little fox that their love will never, ever run out – no matter what.

A heartfelt story about the unconditional love each parent feels for their child, beautifully told and exquisitely illustrated by Kate Greenaway-shortlisted Debi Gliori and repackaged for a new generation to enjoy.

The Boy Who Loved Everyone

Jane Porter & Maisie Paradise Shearring

Picturebook

A sweet and charmingly illustrated picture book about the ways we express love.

“I love you,” Dimitri tells everyone, from his friends at nursery to the big tree in the playground. But why does no one say it back? Dimitri worries no one loves him – until he finds out there are lots of different ways love can spread through the world. A touching and uplifting story, perfect for sharing.

You Can’t Let an Elephant Drive a Digger

David Tazzyman & Patricia Cleveland-Peck

Picturebook

Elephants driving diggers? Gorillas on scooters? A shark in the bath? A kangaroo … on the loo?

Join in with the fun as an array of improbable creatures tries to be helpful (with hilarious consequences) in this laugh-out-loud picture book. The brilliant follow-up to the bestselling You Can’t Take an Elephant on the Bus.

Axel Scheffler’s Treasury of Fairy Tales

Axel Scheffler

Short story collection

A compendium of well-known fairy tales illustrated with the instantly recognisable style of Axel Scheffler, whose work many young children will know from Julia Donaldson’s books like The Gruffalo.

These short fairytales form the very foundations of our literary cannon and Axel’s new treasury includes traditional stories that preschool children love to learn, like the Three Little Pigs, Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Puss in Boots, as well as a handful of illustrated nursery rhymes.

Subtle details in the illustrations pay homage to the place of storytelling, rhyme and music in our culture. On one page, one of the three little pigs is listening to headphones while another is reading a book. On another, a Willy Wonka -esque hare appears with his tailcoat and cane, and on another still unfolds a woodland scene that will look very family to the illustrator’s fanbase. Meanwhile, the stories are told through simple language with enough repetition and predictability for young children to feel ownership of the tales after one or two readings.

A must-have for nursery and preschool book collections.

Diary of a Big Bad Wolf

Ben Miller & Elisa Paganelli

Chapter book

Lawrence, a big, bad, wolf, has just emerged from his den after a long, hard winter. He’s weak, tired and hungry and so embarks on a mission to get fit and find the ultimate, delectable treat: Little Red Riding Hood. But it’s not as easy as he thinks, for Lawrence is a lone wolf, without a pack and there is a pesky group of characters who keep getting in the way of his nefarious dinner plans… three little pigs, a woodcutter, a grandma and a mysterious old woman who brews concoctions in her gingerbread house all get in his way, tricking or outwitting him!

This is a fun and easy read that children will love. It’s funny, silly and the outcomes of Lawrence the Wolf’s actions are always hilariously predictable, making the story highly enjoyable. You can’t help but like and feel sorry for the misguided Lawrence, who struggles to see what is right in front of him.

The illustrations are endearing and add to the fun element of the story. There is a mixture of fonts and page layouts, which make the book appealing to reluctant readers.

A really enjoyable read which I would recommend to all pupils.

The Eyebrows of Doom

Miguel Ordonez & Steve Smallman

Picturebook

When a big bear called Dave is least expecting it, the ‘eyebrows of doom’ leap onto his face, making him appear a little bit more grumpy than usual. While Dave is usually friendly, caring and gentle, the eyebrows give him the strong urge to do something extremely unkind. This hilarious picture book then uncovers the many nasty tricks and schemes that unfold as a result of these menacing ‘slug-like’ brows. But the eyebrows don’t stop at Dave the bear. They continue to move between many different suspects, causing multiple acts of mischief!

Expect children to be in hysterics over tricks involving frightening campers, smearing ice cream and covering people in poop (yes, you read it right!). This is an original and slightly anarchic concept that also explores the positives of teamwork and community problem-solving. At the end of the tale, the animals work together to get rid of the eyebrows, so they can get back to their peaceful afternoon. But have the eyebrows really gone forever..?

This is a highly entertaining young children’s book, which can be enjoyed by all members of the family. It is a hoot to read aloud to enjoy over and over again.

POP!

Matt Carr

Picturebook

Pop follows the story of some corn as it falls from its storage bag into a warm pan. As the pan begins to heat up, the corn kernels can feel something happening to them. Happily, they begin to transform into popcorn. Initially, there is just one piece of popcorn but throughout the book, more popcorn is made until all the corn is popped. The pun-filled story ends with all the popcorn watching a ‘corny’ movie.

This bright and fun story provides a great opportunity to practise basic counting as one piece of corn transforms at a time. The book has the numbers displayed clearly to support children with number recognition. The book has a wonderful rhyming verse that makes it a great read-aloud book. The repeated use of the word Pop throughout means younger children can help read the word themselves and get involved with the storyline.

The bright and engaging illustrations bring to life this interesting story and make this book a joy for younger children to look through and a must-read for Early Years story times.

The Dolls’ House

Claudia Ravalli & Tanya Rosie

Picturebook

Mia has just moved house and spots a dilapidated doll house on the side of the road in her neighbourhood. As she begins to repair and decorate it on her porch, other children come to join the play, bringing offerings – a lolly pop stick bed, a rug and cotton wool cushions – and all are made to feel welcome. Mia notices a boy watching from his window but is too shy to join in with their play. However, when the Autumn rain batters the house, he appears and helps her to fix it. She generously and cleverly suggests he looks after it over Winter, thus bringing him into the group of friends, that we see playing through the changing seasons.

A sensitively told story, with stunning illustrations, this would make a beautiful book for encouraging class and the whole school community, with the strong central message that every child is welcome and everyone has something to give and share with others.

Luna Loves Gardening

Fiona Lumbers & Joseph Coelho

Picturebook

Previous Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho returns with his well-loved character Luna. This time, Luna is exploring the magic of gardening.

Luna is impressed by the community allotment when she visits with her family. Luna takes time to wonder about each seed she encounters – where in the world it came from and what it will turn into. With the help of Grandpa and Nana from Jamaica, Luna realises that every new seed planted will have its own story to tell.

This is a really beautiful picture book celebrating nature, gardens, community, the interconnectedness of humanity and the importance of stories. Fiona Lumbers’ artwork is stunning, drawing out the elements that most capture a young child’s imagination with an abundance of colour, while also contrasting the vibrancy of the community garden with the grey, surrounding cityscape.

This wonderful gardening-themed story is an essential story for modern classrooms and home libraries.

Crookhaven: The School for Thieves

J. J. Arcanjo

Chapter book

Such a brilliantly clever and unique twist on the boarding school genre, with complex characters and a great plot.

Gabriel has never really felt like he fits in. Abandoned by his parents as a baby, he’s lived with his ‘grandma’ ever since but they have moved house so many times that nowhere really feels like home. Why have they moved house so many times? The answer is that Gabriel has a habit of getting into trouble. Wherever he goes things seem to disappear and he always gets the blame. Until one day, when he picks the pocket of the wrong person (or should that be the right person?) and finds himself enrolled at Crookhaven – a school specifically aimed at honing the skills required of crooks but only so they can use them to put the world right. His lessons include Deception and History of Crookery. He quickly makes friends and throws himself into lessons. But the biggest challenge of the year is the Break-in. The aim? To break into the headteacher’s office and steal something that won’t be missed. Can Gabriel pull it off? And can he do it alone? Also, who are his parents and why did they abandon him?

An exciting start to what promises to be a brilliant series following Gabriel through his years at Crookhaven. The plot is full of twists and turns and endearing characters. Just brilliant storytelling – I can’t wait to read the next one.

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