Picture books 2024
I am Nefertiti by Annemarie Anang, illustrated by Natelle Quek
When Nefertiti plays the drums, the band plays as one. But when the new music teacher shortens her name to 'Nef', bit by bit, she starts to shrink.
Without Nefertiti to keep the beat, the band is in disarray! Drawing on her inner strength and with the support of the other children, they help Miss Potts recognise the importance of honouring Nefertiti's name.
Now, when Nefertiti keeps the beat, the music sounds so sweet!
All the Wonderful Ways to Read by Laura Baker, illustrated by Sandra de la Prada
Books take us on journeys that we can all share,
And give us the power to go anywhere!
So no matter just how, or what book,
or your speed, what I wish for NOW . . .
Is that YOU love to read!
This fantastic book inspires ALL children to find their own wonderful way of reading.
The Gecko and the Echo by Rachel Bright, illustrated by Jim Field
Goldy wants one thing, and one thing only - to be a STAR. On the sunny island this gecko calls home, it's always THE GOLDY SHOW, morning 'til night.
But when you're dazzled by the limelight, it's easy to lose sight of the world around you. And when Goldy's performance starts to go wrong, the little gecko discovers that friendship means so much more than fame.
My Beautiful Voice by Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Alison Colpoys
Follow a child who is so shy she doesn't speak. With the encouragement on an enchanting and magical teacher, she writes a poem. But a poem is meant to be read aloud! She musters all her courage, stands at the front of the class and shows her classmates that she does have a voice. And her voice is BEAUTIFUL!
The New Girl by Nicola Davies, illustarted by Cathy Fisher
This short story tells of a girl's attempts to fit in at a new school, despite not being accepted by the other children. The girl's response is to create something beautiful that transforms their attitude towards her and their vision of themselves and their own lives in this inspiring story.
Fox & Son Tailers by Paddy Donnelly
FOX & SONS - Makers of the Finest Traditional Tails for All Animals and Every Occasion!
Rory’s dad, Fox, is a tailer. The BEST in the business! Animals come from all over to have their tails made by him. Rory helps his dad in the shop and one of his jobs is measuring the customers for the tails - which isn't always easy!
But Rory is bored of making the same old tails. He has his own amazing ideas ...
Mildred the Gallery Cat by Jono Ganz
Mildred is a sleepy gallery cat by day, but an inquisitive artist by night. Join her as she explores the many art styles in the gallery, and what being an artist means to her.
Shu Lin’s Grandpa by Matt Goodfellow, illustrated by Yu Rong
Shu Lin is starting at a new school. She stands alone in the playground and at lunchtime she eats by herself from little boxes of brightly coloured food. "What's up with her?" says Barney. But when Shu Lin’s grandpa comes to school and shows the class his amazing Chinese paintings, everything changes….
Big Dance by Aoife Greenham
As Pippa watches her friends express themselves through their special dance moves, she wonders if she will ever find the dance in herself.
With gentle encouragement from the others, Pippa discovers that it's all about taking the first step.
Frida the Rock and Roll Moth by Kim Hillyard
Frida is a musical moth who loves to rock out - she puts on her pointy boots and plays her purple guitar really LOUD!
But when the Big Bright Light is switched on, more moths appear, ready to rock together, and Frida starts to feel that everyone is much better than her. Perhaps she isn't so rock-and-roll after all . . .
With the help of her biggest fan, Auntie Edna, Frida learns to reclaim her style, find her confidence and get up and rock on once more!
Good Night My Sweet Island by Petrea Honychurch Seaman, illustrated by Susanne Heitz
Saying goodnight ‘to all things we love’ ― a poetic and visually stimulating journey celebrating birds and animals, dances and music, fruit and food, sun and rain of a tropical island.
Matisse's Magical Trail by Tim Hopgood, illustrated by Sam Boughton
Matisse is a young snail who loves to create beautiful drawings with his trail. The trouble is most of the time people are far too busy to even notice them. It's only when a child notices Matisse's beautiful trails that his art is finally celebrated - and they inspire a whole class of children to get creative too!
The Girl and the Mermaid by Hollie Hughes, illustrated by Sarah Massini
Alina and her granny live in a lighthouse by the sea: a home filled with the warmth of Granny's magical stories.
But Alina is worried. Granny's memories and stories are starting to fade away, and she doesn't know how to bring them back. Then one day, she meets a mermaid on the rocks near the lighthouse - and she's swept into a magical deep-sea adventure that will change everything.
I Love Books by Mariajo Ilustrajo
In this spellbinding story, we meet a little girl excited for the end of term. No more school! However, she’s given the very unreasonable task of reading a whole book over the holidays. A whole book? but she HATES books.
Luckily, her sister takes her to the library and says she has just the thing. Slowly, the little girl is drawn into a world of adventure inside her own imagination, for the very first time.
How to Make a Story by Naomi Jones, illustrated by Ana Gomez
When Milo decides he's going to tell a story, it seems like a great idea. A story of his very own, made up by him! The only problem is that he's not sure how to start ... or what to put in the middle ... or how to end it.
With a little help from his family and a lot of real-life inspiration, Milo's story is soon off to a flying start. If only his little brother and sister weren't getting in the way. But then Milo learns the most important lesson of all about stories - that they are made to be shared.
Halima, Superhero Princess by Emily Joof, illustrated by Åsa Gilland
Halima can't decide who to dress up as for her friend's birthday party. Should she be a princess like Elsa, or a sort-of superhero like Pippi Longstocking? "You can't be either," her friends tell her, "because you don't look like them."
Halima decides she doesn't want to go to the party anymore. What's the point if she can't be one of her heroes? Until Mama says Halima can be whoever she wants to be, and together they discover some of the strong, brave women who could inspire her. Can Halima regain her confidence and discover her inner superhero princess?
The Rapping Princess by Hannah Lee, illustrated by Allen Fatimaharan
Shiloh is a princess and has everything a princess could possibly want but there’s one thing she doesn’t have: a singing voice. You see, all the other princesses in the kingdom can sing. What Shiloh can do is rap – in fact, she has better flow than all the princes of the land put together.
But she’s a princess – she’s supposed to sing, not rap. Desperate to be like her sisters, Princess Shiloh seeks comfort from her magic mirror. While doing so, she discovers something – she’s had talent all along. Will she finally embrace her differences and stand out from the crowd?
April’s Garden by Isla McGuckin, illustrated by Catalina Echeverri
April and her mother have been housed in temporary accommodation. Promised a brighter future by her mother, April finds her life there to be filled with things that are old, broken and impersonal. She longs for her own things and for some beauty in her life but experiences only frustration and disappointment until one day she plants some seeds…
The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
Vashti thinks she can’t draw. But her teacher is sure that she can. She knows that there’s creative spirit in everyone and encourages Vashti to sign the angry dot she makes in frustration on a piece of paper.
This act makes Vashti look at herself a little differently, and helps her discover that where there’s a dot there’s a way…
Dadaji’s Paintbrush by Rashmi Sirdeshpande, illustrated by Ruchi Mhasane
Dadaji loves to teach others to paint, especially his grandson. But after Dadaji passes away, the boy can’t bear to use the favourite paintbrush his grandfather left for him. When a little girl knocks on the door, the boy discovers how many lives Dadaji touched with his art and finds a way to continue his legacy.
Songs in the Shade of the Cashew and Coconut Trees by Nathalie Soussana, illustrated by Judith Gueyfier
Songs about children playing in the schoolyard at recess, sisters braiding each other's hair at the beach, and parents dancing late into the night mesh together thanks to the music. A wide array of styles―nursery rhymes from Gabon, lullabies from Cape Verde, and rumbas from the Congo―are all performed exquisitely by men, women, and children in more than a dozen languages.
The Comet by Joe Todd-Stanton
When Nyla has to leave her home in the countryside to start life again in the city, all she can think about is everything she misses from before. So when a comet comes crashing through the city streets and starts to glow and grow, Nyla can’t resist a chance to head somewhere that feels closer to what she had before … but what starts as an escape could be just the thing to make her finally feel at home.
The Library Mouse by Frances Tosdevin, illustrated by Sophia O’Connor
Quill, the mouse, is a dreamer! He longs to write stories and share them with children in his beloved library. But getting his words noticed seems impossible for such a small creature. Can he and his spider friend, Leggsy, find a way to make his voice stand out from the crowd ― or will Quill’s stories remain forever unheard?
The Artist by Ed Vere
One brave little artist goes on one epic adventure to share her art, and in doing so learns that it doesn't matter if you colour outside the lines, that art is full of heart... and that maybe you are an artist too!
The Great Paint by Alex Willmore
Frog thinks he's pretty artistic and that the rest of the forest could do with a little bit of inventive improvement. From painting to sculpture, to performance art and origami, Frog gets to work on beautifying everything around him ... but will his friends appreciate his creativity?
Ruby's Repair Café by Michelle Worthington, illustrated by Zoe Bennett
Ruby loves to fix things, rather than throwing them away. When a shiny new department store opens next door to Ruby’s Repair Cafe, everyone in town soon forgets about fixing things. But will Ruby be able to save her family business from big business before the rubbish takes over the town?
