Age 8
The Big Christmas Bake by Fiona Barker & Pippa Curnick
The Big Christmas Bake is a beautifully illustrated, delicious countdown to making a Twelfth Night Cake. Written in rhyme, similar to the original Twelve Days of Christmas, it cleverly manages to include all the ingredients of the cake as well as the tradition of choosing the Twelfth Night king or queen.
Cress Watercress by Gregory Maguire & David Litchfield
Cress Watercress is a highly illustrated middle grade novel which follows the fortunes of the Watercress family after their Papa’s disappearance. This gentle woodland story is full of heart and encompasses themes of growing up, moving on, dealing with grief and learning to become part of a new community.
Mister Rogers’ Gift of Music by Donna Cangelosi & Amanda Calatzis
Mister Rogers’ Gift of Music is Donna Cangelosi’s debut picture book which is beautifully illustrated by Amanda Calatzis. The book tells the inspirational story of television presenter, Fred Rogers (Mister Rogers), and the way that music helped him to deal with different emotions throughout his life.
The Coat by Séverine Vidal & Louis Thomas
Autumn is here, the weather is getting cooler and we need to start wearing warmer coats and wooly jumpers. The Coat tells the poignant, heartwarming story of Elise and the warm, snuggly red coat that she has been wishing for. It combines the themes of inequality, poverty, homelessness and empathising with others less fortunate and…
The Gift by Alain Serge Dzotap & Delphine Renon
The Gift is a wonderful celebration of creativity and imagination. A little leopard is both cute and curious as he sets out to discover how to get beautiful things out of his birthday gift – a pen. This gentle story of discovery and learning is beautifully illustrated and perfect for inspiring children to get creative.
The Gifts That Grow by Monika Singh Gangotra & Michaela Dias-Hayes
The Gifts That Grow, based on a true story, intertwines cooking and family history as Amrita learns more about a Jamun tree which was planted in the garden of her old house. It’s a fascinatingly diverse story which celebrates a family tradition that has been passed down through generations.