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Children's reading lists

10 inspiring books to teach tots about empathy

The Bog Baby

If you don't believe in Bog Babies, you soon will. A highly anticipated new story by a new picture book team.

“This book is one of the most beautiful and magical stories I have ever read. I had my first child 16 years ago so I have read A LOT of children's books over the years!" - a 5 star parent review 
 
Winner of the Book Trust Early Years Award, The Bog Baby is a heartwarming story – perfect for inspiring young minds to think about nature, lifecycles and the environment. 
 
When two small sisters go fishing to the magic pond, they find something much better than a frog or a newt. They find a bog baby. Small and blue with wings like a dragon, the girls decide to make him their secret. I won't tell if you won't. 
 
But the bog baby is a wild thing, and when he becomes poorly, the girls decide they must tell their mum. And she tells them the greatest lesson: if you really love something, you have to let it go. 
 
"It has really captured my little girl’s imagination and every time we go for a walk, she earnestly looks for her own 'bog baby' so that she can record its details on the specific page in the back of the book!” - a 5 star reader review 
 
Jeanne wrote her first book when she was five years old and hasn't stopped writing since. She has now written over eighty titles, including picture books, novels and television scripts. She has also won numerous awards, including the Children's Book Award, the Sheffield Children's Book Award and the Silver Smarties Prize. Her teen novel, Naked Without a Hat, was shortlisted for the Whitbread Award in 2004. She often takes inspiration from dreams and interesting conversations with strangers. 
 
Gwen Millward studied illustration in Edinburgh and now spends all of her time painting and writing stories for children about her favourite subject, beasts. Her first book for Puffin, Guess What I Found in Dragon Wood, published in April 2007. 
 
Other wonderful books by either of the two include: 
 
The King of Tiny Things; Guess what I found in Dragon Wood; Happy Birthday in Dragon Wood; Sing a Song of Bottoms; Bottoms Up!; Silly Cecil and Clever Cubs; The Wheels on the Bus; Delilah Darling is in the Library; There's an Ouch in my Pouch!; Who's in the Loo?; The Monster Bed; Tadpole's Promise; The Beasties

When two small sisters go fishing to the magic pond, they find something much better than a frog or a newt. They find a bog baby. Small and blue with wings like a dragon, the girls decide to make him their secret. I won't tell if you won't. 
 
But the bog baby is a wild thing, and when he becomes poorly, the girls decide they must tell their mum. And she tells them the greatest lesson, if you really love something, you have to let it go.

Jeanne Willis

Gwen Millward

When two little girls visit their grandparents, it seems like a brilliant idea to camp outside for the night. But then the dark comes and it doesn't seem such a good idea after all! Until a most unexpected visitor arrives - the King of Tiny Things. He is the shepherd of creepy crawlies, bugs and grubs and shows the girls that, in fact, the night is bright with magic. 
 
From the creators of The Bog Baby, winner of the Booktrust Early Years Award 2008.

Jeanne Willis

Books by Jeanne Willis

Articles featuring Jeanne Willis

10 inspiring books to teach tots about empathy

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