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Topic: Reception 50 Recommended Reads

Picturebook

Elmer is different. Elmer is patchwork.

The grey elephants all love him, but he soon starts to wonder what it would be like to be just the same as them…

Full of colour, wisdom and pathos, little readers will love this classic tale at bedtime.

Deservedly a modern classic, with over ten million copies of his books sold worldwide, Elmer’s subtle message, that it is OK to be different, resonates with children across the world. Elmer the colourful patchwork elephant has been a nursery favourite since 1989.

Picturebook

An uplifting, stunningly beautiful book about optimism in the darkest of places.

A girl and her companion fox travel together from a place of loss and despair, through uncertain times, towards the hope of colour, light and life. Along the way, they find friends to guide and support them. Together, they build a glorious future and discover there is a way out of the darkness, into the light of the rainbow. A book with immense hope at its heart, this is a positive message for anyone who’s ever gone through a tough time.

Short story collection

Mrs Pepperpot has a problem – a huge problem – she shrinks! And when she shrinks she finds herself in all sorts of trouble…

Poor Mrs Pepperpot has shrunk again and she’s set her heart on going to the bazaar. But with a clever disguise and a cunning plan, she’s soon dancing rings around the ladies at the fair!

Puss can’t wait for Mrs Pepperpot to shrink so she can whisk her away on an adventure. It’s a hair-raising journey, but brave Mrs P is soon rewarded with some very special treasure indeed.

Non-fictionPicturebook

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Ernest Shackleton, the fearless Antarctic adventurer.

When Ernest Shackleton was young, he longed for a life of adventure. After a career in the Merchant Navy, he joined a landmark expedition to try to reach the South Pole for the first time in history. Although he had to go home early, he never gave up. His own expeditions set new records for the closest anyone had ever been to the South Pole, and he is remembered now as a courageous and inspirational leader. This exciting book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back , including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the intrepid explorer’s life.

Picturebook

Whenever I’m tired of being me
I swing around like a chimpanzee.

Are you tired of being you? Here’s a whole bookful of things you can do! There are rhymes to make you wriggle and giggle, shrug and sigh, snap like a crocodile and slither like a snake. Julia Donaldson’s verse jumps off the page and Nick Sharratt’s snazzy illustrations add to the fun of Wriggle and Roar! .

Bright, bold and accessible, these rhymes are packed full of noises and actions, making them perfect for joining in.

Picturebook

A hilarious story in the 9-million-copy best-selling classic series from highly regarded author Nick Butterworth!

The Fox is playing hide-and-seek with Percy and the animals of the park. He’s got a great hiding place in Percy’s workshop but hasn’t noticed that there is a pot of strong glue dangerously close by and soon finds himself in an embarrassingly sticky situation! What can Percy do to help?

Includes a surprise fold-out page!

Percy and his animal friends have delighted readers around the world for over thirty years!

Picturebook

When Jake’s mum upcycles every last thing in the apartment, Jake begins to worry that the only thing left to change is… him! Jake’s mum is not like most mums. Say there’s a skip in the street, most mums will pass right by without a second glance. Not Jake’s mum. “Look at this, Jake!” she’ll shout. “We must have this! We must have this, too! And we simply must have this!” That’s Jake’s mum for you. She’s a must-have mum. Soon Jake begins to worry that his mum will want to change him too. Should he be this way? Or that way? Or another way altogether? A heartwarming story about the unbreakable bond between a mother and her son, and a little boy who learns that he is perfect just the way he is.

Picturebook

Blue Monster loves brand new things. A fancy new hat . . . a shiny submarine . . . a fabulous funfair . . . and a paradise island, all of his own. But he’s still not happy! What will it take for Blue Monster to realise there are some things that money can’t buy?

An original, humorous and unforgettable fable from the creators of the award-winning The First Slodge , perfect for introducing little ones to the idea of materialism.

Picturebook

A love letter to learning and the power of numbers from exciting talents, Rashmi Sirdeshpande and Diane Ewen.

A laugh-out-loud ‘what if . . .?’ adventure that celebrates maths being fun in this riotous read.

If a Stegosaurus knew how to do sums – well, what would happen? Maybe she’d learn to code, to invent, to fly to the moon!

From the creators of Never Show a T-Rex a Book !

Picturebook

A picture book follow-up to The Colour Monster, Anna Llenas’s jaw-dropping pop-up book.

One day, Colour Monster wakes up feeling very confused. His emotions are all over the place; he feels angry, happy, calm, sad and scared all at once! To help him, a little girl shows thim what each feeling means through colour.

What is the Colour Monster feeling? And can you help him feel a little less mixed up?

A gentle exploration of feelings for young and old alike.

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