Age 4
Rabbityness by Jo Empson
If you have a young child who is dealing with a loss of any kind Rabbityness is the perfect picture book. It acknowledges loss in a way that a child can understand although it doesn’t specifically explain where the main character, Rabbit, has gone.
Mouseton Abbey – The Missing Diamond by Nick Page & Tim Hutchinson
Mouseton Abbey is the mouse version of Downton Abbey. Roquefort, Earl of Mouseton (Lord Mouseton) leads a cast of cute, knitted mice (all with cheesy names) as they try and locate the missing Great Big Cheesy Diamond in time for the annual Cheesemas banquet.
The Wheels on the Bus
“What were the first books that your daughter enjoyed?” asked a friend of mine last week. Without doubt my daughter loved The Wheels on the Bus and Old Macdonald had a Farm, classic rhymes told in board books with holes. They are sturdy, small enough for little hands and the lovely bright, colourful illustrations provide…
The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
We have so many spiders around and so many spiders’ webs to look at that my daughter decided that The Very Busy Spider was a good book to read so she could see how spiders make their webs. I love the simplicity and the repetition in this story and it has stimulated some interesting discussions.
Jolly Snow by Jane Hissey
I love the way that Jane Hissey’s adorable characters try to help Jolly Tall, the giraffe, understand what snow is. Little Bear, Zebra and Rabbit do their best to help their friend with the support of the two more senior members of the playroom, Old Bear and Bramwell.
I am a Bunny – Ole Risom & Richard Scarry
I am a Bunny, a beautifully illustrated board book by Richard Scarry, is lovely to introduce the littlest of people to the concept of the seasons and what can be seen and experienced during each one. It is also great to stimulate discussion with older readers about different features of the seasons and where bunnies…
The Storm Whale by Benji Davies
I loved The Storm Whale from the moment I first read it. It was a picture book that I just had to buy. It’s a heartwarming story about loneliness and friendship and the beautiful beach and seaside illustrations bring back some lovely childhood memories of holidays by the sea.
On The Way Home by Jill Murphy
My copy of On the Way Home has a different picture on the cover and is old, battered and well loved. It was well read when I first started teaching and it’s now the perfect story for my daughter who is trying to make sense of real characters versus fantasy characters, we have long conversations…
Winnie’s Amazing Pumpkin by Valerie Thomas & Korky Paul
This year we planted three pumpkin seeds but we didn’t realise how big pumpkin plants grow (luckily only one plant survived!). We did cut the plant back when it started to grow across our patio and threatened to strangle the tomatoes next to it but although our plant is big it doesn’t look like our…
Say Goodnight to the Sleepy Animals! by Ian Whybrow & Ed Eaves
My daughter loves Say Goodnight to the Sleepy Animals! with its touch and feel animals and its simple, repetitive, rhyming text. It’s a perfect bedtime read for the littlest of people.
