Debra and Amy from Felixstowe Library share some of their favourite illustrated children’s books. Browse our staff picks and pick up a copy from your local library!
Want more suggested books? Take a look at our recommendations or explore more of the National Year of Reading campaign.
Pavlo Gets the Grumps
Natalia Shaloshvili
Pavlo does not feel like going to the park. Not today. He does not want to go swimming. He even says no to the cinema. What’s going on, Pavlo? Pavlo’s got the grumps.
This comforting picture book takes a look at bad days and big emotions, and reminds us that we all have grumpy days sometimes but no feeling lasts forever.
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes
Mem Fox and Helen Oxenbury
All over the world, babies are different. Yet in some ways they are very much the same: each one has ten little fingers and ten little toes – to play with, to tickle, to wave.
And each child is very, very special to its parents…
Bothered by Bugs
Emily Gravett
Pete the Badger is choosing a delicious recipe from his new fruit cookbook when his peace is interrupted by a teeny tiny fly. The fly becomes a swarm and soon all the animals are being bothered by bugs and insects of all kinds – before helping Pete to rid the forest of every single one. Disaster!
Now nobody’s around to clean up the poo, and come autumn, there’s not a berry or a cherry to be found. But the lesson is learned, the bugs are released, and order is restored to the forest once again.
A Best Friend for Bear
Petr Horácek
A heart-warming picture book about a charming bear duo on an adventure to find a best friend.
Black Bear is feeling lonely, so he decides to look for a friend. Luckily, he meets Brown Bear, who is in the same situation! The bears decide to search for a friend together. They search everywhere, but their elusive friend is nowhere to be found. Or have they been right there all along?
Shark in the Park!
Nick Sharratt
Timothy Pope has a brand new telescope and he’s testing it out at the park. Peep through the die-cut holes in this book to see if you can spy a shark. Is that really a shark? Turn the page and find out . . .
A delightful, entertaining story – with its rhyming text and ingenious die-cut pages, it’s a book children will want to read again and again.
Otto the Top Dog
Catherine Rayner
After Otto invites one of his friends to share his comfy basket, word quickly spreads around the neighbourhood. Soon he’s sharing his cosy bed with all the dogs in the area, even taking in the local strays!
Before he knows it, everyone is having the best sleep in his beloved basket: everyone, but Otto! Will Otto ever get his basket back to himself? And will he still like it if he does.
Don’t Wake Up Tiger!
Britta Teckentrup
Tiger is fast asleep, but oh dear! She’s lying completely in the way. Just how will the animals get past without waking her up? Luckily, Frog has an excellent idea and, holding his balloon, he floats right over sleeping Tiger!
Fox is next, followed by Tortoise, Mouse and Stork, but it will be tricky for them all to get past without Tiger noticing! It’s a good job that the reader is there to help keep Tiger asleep, isn’t it? But where exactly are they going with all those big shiny balloons? Do you think it might be someone’s birthday? Can you guess who?
A Good Place
Lucy Cousins
Four insect friends are looking for a place to live – one that has flowers for Bee, leaves for Ladybird, a pond for Dragonfly and dead wood for Beetle. But – oh no! – with dangers all around, a good place is not so easy to find.
This picture book from Lucy Cousins sees new depth and contrast to her familiar vivid colour palette. This story brings the natural world to joyful and vibrant life for young readers, inviting them to consider what they can do to help make our planet a good place for all living creatures.
The Rock From the Sky
Jon Klassen
Turtle really likes standing in his favourite spot. He likes it so much that he asks his friend Armadillo to come over and stand in it, too. But now that Armadillo is standing in that spot, he has a bad feeling about it…
A uniquely brilliant meditation on the workings of friendship, fate, shared futuristic visions, and that funny feeling you get when there’s something off… but you just can’t put your finger on it.
Oh No, George!
Chris Haughton
This is the story of George the dog. His owner, Harris, is off to do some shopping. “Will you be good, George?” he asks his dog.
George hopes he can. He really wants to … but chocolate cake is just so very delicious and he does love to chase cat… What will George do now?