A bit late in the day, here is our round up of our fave picture books of the Summer. Click on the cover image or book title for the link to buy the book from bookshop.org and support your local bookseller.
Eye Spy by Ruth Brown £12.99 Scallywag Press
One wild creature per page hidden in the hedgerows, fields and woodlands of this beautifully illustrated, lyrical rhyming I-Spy.
Ready for Spaghetti: Funny Poems for Funny Kids by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Polly Dunbar £14.99 Walker
A collection of poems that take little ones through their day from 'Up, up, uppity-up!' to 'hush and a hush, Say good night'. In between, the totally enchanting cast of pre-schoolers created by the genius that is Polly Dunbar are eating, playing, washing, laughing, tumbling, sneezing. Rhyme, rhythm, repetition and play. Sounds to enjoy saying over and over again. Brilliant.
Once Upon a... Fairytale by Natalia and Lauren O'Hara £12.99 Macmillan
Hands down the nicest 'choose your own story' we have ever seen. Dragons, unicorns, pixies, mermaids and talking wolves are just some of the options you have, beautifully brought to life with charming illustrations.
Five Bears by Catherine Rayner £12.99 Macmillan
Catherine Rayner has done it again, this time with a lovely tale about helping each other out. The illustrations are utterly perfect. Heaven.
The Music in Me by Sophy Henn £12.99 hardback / 6.99 paperback Simon and Schuster
'Your music's always playing
And its very often changing
It can make you feel all
Kinds of wrong and right'
Lovely musical beat runs through this rhyming look at emotions, feelings and being true to your own song.
A Perfect Wonderful Day with Friends by Philip Waechter £11.99 Gecko Press
This is a sunny summer day in the country book, translated from the German by Melody Shaw. When you're with your friends, you don't need a plan!
Wellington's Big Day Out £12.99 Simon and Schuster
It's Wellington's birthday. He is practically a grown up. But if ONLY he was bigger. Another gentle story with a 70s retro feel from the creator of The Duck Who Didn't Like Water. For every family that has a height chart on the side of a door. And who doesn't?
Attack of the Giant Baby by David Lucas, illustrated by Bruce Ingham Bloomsbury £7.99 paperback
We are not quite sure how we managed to miss this one when it came out in hardback last year but if you did, it came out in paperback in July. A giant baby is on the loose in the playroom. Toys and teddies on high alert! Kids of 3+ will recognise the havoc that new siblings can wreak and know not to panic. Bruce Ingman's illustrations are, as always, a joy.
Emily Turner, September 2022