Bedtime stories need a reboot? New picture books little ones will love
Love reading with your little ones, give the classic a break and love up your pre-schooler’s literary tastes with a new book that heavy on the illustration and light on words.
The Gruffalo, Biff, Tiger Who Came To Tea and The Very Hungry Caterpillar are classics, but when you have read them for the 150th time on repeat, it wear a bit thin. To change things up a bit (and save your sanity), Alexandra Jones, Children’s Buyer at the award-winning Sevenoaks bookshop has rustled up 8 new picture books that little ones will love – and so will you.
Just Like Millie by Lauren Castillo
With wonderfully gentle illustrations, Just Like Millie is the story of a very shy little girl who struggles to make friends. Then Millie arrives, a super friendly just-right sized dog. When the little girl watches Millie make friends with everyone she meets, the little girl starts to wonder if maybe she might be able to be brave too. Utterly heartwarming, perfect for those just about to start school. I loved this book!
£7.99
Farah Loves Mangos by Sarthak Sinha
Farah loves collecting Mangos with her Grandpa but this year it’s all gone wrong, No mangos and Grandpa is just TOO busy to help Farah find out why. Farah tries everything to get the trees to grow mangos – singing to it, giving it milk but nothing seems to work. But then again, has she REALLY looked at the tree…? The impatience of small children and the brilliantly logical way Farah tries to solve the problem will make parents and children laugh. A super, summer read.
£7.99
Priya Mistry and the Paw Prints Puzzle by Babita Sharma
A super adventure, when Priya finds tiny paw prints on the floor in her Mum’s shop, she knows only she can solve the case. Determined and resourceful, Priya is the perfect detective for the job. A great story for everyone who likes a mystery.
£7.99
Who Ate Steve by Susannah Lloyd
This books is all about sizes. Marcel is a bird and he is big. Steve is a worm and he is….hang on…where’s Steve? A hilarious book where hungry Marcel keeps ruining the narrator’s story by eating the other character – ‘Marcel, WHERE IS STEVE?’ A little bit subversive, very silly, children will love telling you what Marcel has been up to. Lots of fun.
£7.99
Paul the Peacock by Tilly Matthews
Pompous Paul has some lessons to learn about what it means to be a good friend. I enjoyed the inevitability of Paul’s fate – if you are mean to everyone it’s not going to end well but don’t worry, Paul learns a tough lesson but in fine story book tradition, everyone lives happily ever after.
£7.99
All You Need to Know about Dogs By A Cat by Fred Blunt
Typical Fred Blunt humour! Children will enjoy the cat’s cheeky assessment of dogs even though by the end of the story he might just need a helping hand from his dog friends, great fun!
£7.99
Where Has All the Cake Gone by Andrew Saunders
A fantastical tale about the real reason a big chocolate cake has gone missing. What’s not to love about being kidnapped by penguins, meeting pirates, having a snowball fight with kangaroos and much, much more! Children will love the ridiculous adventure and there’s a smart little twist at the end, the perfect picture book!
£7.99
The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish by Chloe Savage
Superbly illustrated, I loved this adventure about scientists lead by the brilliant Dr Morley and her super crew searching for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish. You need to look carefully at the illustrations to see the story inside the story. Beautiful, clever and thoughtful, an absolute delight of a book.
£7.99