Uschi Müller, Brittany Lane (illustrator)
Salvatore lives with his family and their goats at the foot of Mount Etna. Today it is his first time to herd the goats on the mountain slopes by himself. “Don’t let those goats boss you around”, says his father as Salvatore sets off. But the goats refuse to stay on the mountain, and soon Salvatore realises why. The volcanic eruption and Salvatore’s relationship with his family’s herding dog and goats are an appealing picture book combination. The story is based on real-life studies of changes in animal behaviour hours before volcanic activity, and other disaster forecasting by animals.
Ages 3-6
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Subtitled Poet of Joy and Love , this is a lovely picture book that traces the life of Rumi, the celebrated 13th century poet and scholar. The art is bright and colourful and reminiscent of Persian miniature paintings. The author/illustrator is an award-winning artist from Iran.
Ages 3-6
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This is the sequel to the award-winning Mouse’s Wood Best Books for Kids 2022 list. This picture book also has quite a Wind in the Willows
Ages 3-6
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Miss Leoparda drives a bus (when she isn’t sleeping). All the seats are taken, until one day when they see something amazing: a little black car speeding into the distance. Soon, the community of the bus is gone as all the passengers opt for individual car travel. Traffic jams ensue. This picture book is full of personality, combining deadpan humour with expressive acrylic and crayon illustrations.
Ages 3-6
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This charming picture book is a joyful celebration of a child’s imagination. A lively crowd of animals gets into a train carriage where they invite our protagonist to play games and eat sweets. Glued to a screen, his father isn’t paying any attention and misses all the fun. Fortunately, when they get to their destination the tiger runs off with the phone, so father and son are fully able to enjoy their day at the seaside together. A lovely story to read aloud, and an excellent starting point to discuss the importance of time away from screens.
Ages 3-6
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Toby, the new dog in the neighbourhood, is finding it difficult to make friends. Other dogs are leaving each other urine-scented messages, but Toby's message is misunderstood after being partly washed away by the rain. This picture book is a fun starting point for a conversation about the danger of rumour and miscommunication, while the illustrations brim with joyful dog-chaos.
Ages 3-6
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The artwork in this picture book is amazing. Anya lives in a fragile paper village threatened by unseasonal winds. Determined to understand the cause of the strange weather, she builds a bridge to the sturdier cardboard village on the neighbouring mountain. To illustrate this delicate world, the artist has used pencil and watercolour on paper and cardboard, cut and arranged into scenes. The visual detail and depth will appeal to readers of any age, whilst the story provides an excellent springboard for explaining to children about climate change.
Ages 4-7
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Peggy Thomas, Cookie Moon (illustrator)
This is a very attractive fold-out book about different types of forests and the animals that live in them, appealing to kids across quite a wide age range. Young kids can relate to the concept of forest families in which big and small trees play different roles. Older kids can engage with all the information in the extensive pull-out that features nine different forests around the world — from mountainous forest in Uganda to frozen spruce in Finland — introducing them to an intriguing variety of forest ecosystems.
Ages 2-6
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Kelly J Baptist, Jenin Mohammed (illustrator)
A lovely picture book with upbeat rhyming text, filled with family bonding time and love of music. Whilst the main vibe is lively fun, this book is also perfect as a bedtime story.
Ages 3-6
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This is a lovely introduction to the concept of measuring, by an award-winning illustrator. It is also a celebration of the amazing human body. There is lots for kids to enjoy in this bright and lively picture book that is all about them.
Ages 3-6
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Joy Cowley, Hilary Jean Tapper (illustrator)
A simple and evocative picture book with rhyming text about a day of holiday by the sea, by an award-winning New Zealand author and illustrator team. Perfect as a bedtime story.
Ages 2-5
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This is a fun picture book that builds nicely. Children will recognise themselves in the child in the story who is ready to read on the sofa. With clear lines and colours, the illustrations add expression and humour to the chaos that ensues when the animal friends come to join.
Ages 2-5
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