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Topic: Y1 50 Recommended Reads

There’s a Tiger in the Garden

Picturebook

As read by Tom Hardy on CBeebies!
Winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2017, Illustrated Books Category.

When Grandma says she’s seen a tiger in the garden, Nora doesn’t believe her. She’s too old to play Grandma’s silly games! Everyone knows that tigers live in jungles, not gardens. So even when Nora sees butterflies with wings as big as her arm, and plants that try and eat her toy giraffe, and a polar bear that likes fishing, she knows there’s absolutely, DEFINITELY no way there could be a tiger in the garden . . . Could there?

Gustavo the shy ghost

Gustavo the Shy Ghost

Picturebook

Gustavo is a ghost. He is good at doing all sorts of paranormal things, like walking through walls, making objects fly and glowing in the dark. And he loves playing beautiful music on his violin. But Gustavo also has a problem. He is SHY. Which means some things are harder for him to do, like getting in a line to buy eye-scream or talking to the other monsters. But Gustavo longs to be a part of something, he longs to be seen. More than anything, he wants to make a friend. So, plucking up all his courage, he sends a very special letter: “Dear Monsters, I would like to invite you to my violin concert at the Day of the Dead party…”

With exquisite detail and humour, Flavia Z. Drago’s vivid illustrations tell a sweet and offbeat story of friendship and courage.

A Dress With Pockets

Picturebook

A funny and frock-filled story for modern girls who don’t just want sequins and sparkles on their dresses, from rising star Lily Murray and Waterstones Prize-winning illustrator, Jenny Lovlie.

Lucy and Aunt Augusta are dress shopping. And, at the Fabulous Fashion Store, there are dresses to suit just about everyone. There are fancy dresses, frilly dresses, stripy dresses, silly dresses, sun dresses, fun dresses, blue dresses, green… But Lucy doesn’t care about frills or lace. She wants a dress WITH POCKETS. And as she wades through the titchy dresses, witchy dresses, very, very itchy dresses, she starts to worry about where she’s going to put her leaves, and nettles, and delicate petals, her magical spells and beautiful shells… The hunt is on: will Lucy find the dress of her dreams?

A lighthearted story with a subtle feminist undertone that celebrates the joy of pockets, and how they can unleash the inquisitive, adventurous spirit of all young children.

Chocolate Cake

Picturebook

When I was a boy,
I had a favourite treat.
It was when my mum made . . .

CHOCOLATE CAKE!

Ohhh! I LOVED chocolate cake.

Fantastically funny and full of silly noises, this is Michael Rosen’s love letter to every child’s favourite treat, chocolate cake. Brought to life as a picture book for the first time with brilliant and characterful illustrations by Kevin Waldron.

Gorilla

Picturebook

Celebrate 30 years of the classic award-winning picture book in this stunning new edition.

Hannah loves gorillas but has never seen one. Her father’s too busy to take her to the zoo – or for anything else come to that. For her birthday, Hannah asks her father for a gorilla – but is disappointed when she discovers that the gorilla she’s got is just a toy one. But then something extraordinary happens … the toy turns into a real gorilla, who puts on her father’s hat and coat and takes her off for a magical visit to the zoo…

Look I’m a Maths Wizard

Non-fiction

A great introduction to learning maths, this book teaches children the magic of numbers through play. Inside they’ll deal with number bugs, creating a hungry adding robot, learning about subtraction by playing skittles, crafting 3D shape aliens, and even making a repeating pattern fruit wand.

Covering a comprehensive range of maths topics, from counting and numbers, to shape and size, and measurements and time, this is the perfect first maths book for children. Every fun project features a mixture of bright photography and charming illustrations that support the easy-to-follow activity instructions. These creative hands-on activities support Early Years and Key Stage One maths curriculums taught in schools.

Look I’m A Maths Wizard allows little readers to do what they do best – imagine, create, learn, problem-solve, and play their way to maths magic!

I Can Only Draw Worms

Picturebook

A riotously funny and ever-so-slightly bonkers book from genius storyteller Will Mabbitt.

Bad Bunnies Magic Show

Picturebook

When the great magician, Hypno, goes missing just before a show, his rabbits Abra and Cadabra step in to save the day.
But are they all that they seem? Or is there more to their sleight of paw than meets the eye?
An exciting new novelty book from British author and illustrator Mini Grey that will have children and parents laughing out loud.

You Matter

Picturebook

For fans of Jon Klassen, this sensitive and impactful picture book from award-winning author-illustrator Christian Robinson is all about seeing the world from different points of view, and the perfect entry point for parents to help teach their little people about empathy and community.

The small stuff too small to see.
Those who swim with the tide and those who don’t.
The first to go and the last.
You matter.

In this bright and beautiful picture book, many different perspectives around the world are deftly and empathetically explored – from a pair of bird-watchers to the pigeons they’re feeding, from the hugest dinosaur to the tiniest fly.

Young readers will be drawn into the luminous illustrations inviting them to engage with the world in a new way and see how everyone is connected and that everyone matters.

Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea!

Graphic Novel

The perfect first book for young 5 year-old, 6 year-old, 7 year old and 8 year-old readers looking for funny, high interest books that are an accessible read, where they’ll discover the joys of friendship, working together and the power of imagination. Featuring three short stories and a super fun ocean fact page – and joke page too!

Narwhal is a happy-go-lucky narwhal. Jelly is a no-nonsense jellyfish. The two might not have a lot in common, but they do they love waffles, parties and adventures. Join Narwhal and Jelly as they discover the whole wide ocean together.

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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