Early learning books
As we all know, five is a landmark age when growing up! And this gorgeous and vibrant book makes the perfect gift. Your child has started school and their curiosity about the world is never-ending. Whether it’s the alphabet, your daily routine or road safety, Wise Before Five is jam-packed full of amazing things for kids to know before they turn five. The colourful illustrations by Ekaterina Trukhan will help little ones grasp basic concepts, learn how special they and their friends are, and ultimately build lifelong confidence.
Learning to write can be daunting – luckily Peppa Pig is on hand to help new school starters practise their handwriting! This wipe-clean book features a variety of numerals, letters – lowercase and capital letters – as well as some simple words for children to trace over and get the hang of holding a pen. And no problem if they make a mistake, just wipe away and start again! There is also guidance for left-handers.
Introduce your little piggies to the wonderful world of science with this hands-on-activity book, featuring pre-school favourite Peppa Pig . Join Peppa and her friends as Daddy Pig teaches them all about the basics of science. With exciting activities, thrilling experiments and press-out card aeroplanes to try (and fly) at home, this introductory book is part of the Learn with Peppa series and is a perfect read for would-be scientists.
Interactive books for playtime
This astronaut has got a lot to fit into her day and she’s going to need some help. Use the interactive flaps to help her put on her spacesuit, launch the rocket and drive the moon buggy. The flaps are perfect for little hands to explore and develop their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. 3, 2, 1… blast off! There are also a whole host of other jobs in the Busy Day series to discover.
There are so many to choose from, but who will join your super sloth squad? There is a sloth for when you’re feeling energetic. There’s a sloth for when you’re feeling sleepy. How on earth are you going to choose? Each page in this colourful and hilarious book has five sloths to choose from so why not snuggle up and take your time discussing and deciding who is the best fit for you? And once you’ve picked your sloth pals, why not Choose Llamas
Help Peppa make wonderful memories of the best day ever with this interactive magnet book. Use the colourful magnets to set Peppa, George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig off on an exciting adventure to town. Who will they meet along the way? It’s never too early to start building imagination skills with one of the world’s most well-known characters.
Explore London with this interactive book, which comes with plenty of puzzles, lots of pictures to colour, and more than 200 stickers that can be used to decorate the beautifully illustrated pages. From Buckingham Palace to the London Underground, children will enjoy learning all about the UK’s capital city, and the many activities in this entertaining book are sure to keep them occupied for hours.
Written in collaboration with moon experts, this Little W
Learning to tell the time is a key early skill for children starting school, and this interactive book is a great way to gently introduce the concept. Follow Topsy and Tim as they go about their busy day, moving their hands on the clock face to show what time it is when they wake up, go to school, eat dinner and go to bed. Young readers will enjoy playing with the clock and be encouraged by the familiarity of Topsy and Tim’s friendly faces.
Books for first experiences
Build up your badge collection by joining Duggee and the Squirrels on a beautiful sunny walk. But wait, what is that stinky smell? It seems to be coming from the lion they’ve met. It looks like he might need some teeth-brushing help. It’s time to teach him the Squirrels’ special song. Featuring all of your favourite characters from the triple BAFTA-winning CBeebies show, this board book story is perfect for reading as part of the morning and bedtime routine with little Hey Duggee fans
Pablo has been invited to his cousin Lorna’s party but he’s a bit unsure of the noise as he thinks differently to others. He decides he would rather hide in the car so his friends decide to take the party to him. They help Pablo realise it’s ok if he doesn’t want to go to the party. This heart-warming story about friendship will help readers understand that not everyone is the same and that parties can be difficult experiences for some people. All Pablo books are written by writers on the autistic spectrum and are grounded in the real-life experiences of autistic children.
Does Topsy need glasses? She’s off to visit the optometrist to find out – and Tim’s coming too. Little ones facing a first trip to the opticians will find this sweet story reassuring, as it follows Topsy, Tim and their friend Stevie through the experience of having their eyes tested. All first experiences can be daunting, but this range of stories featuring everyone’s favourite twins are perfect for guiding children and parents through those tricky moments.
It’s a special day at playgroup for Peppa and her friends – they’re learning about the people who help us. Dr Brown Bear and Nurse Fox are visiting and they’ve got some important tips for them. Join Peppa as she learns how to keep fit, eat healthily and most importantly, why we need to always remember to wash our hands. Then follow the youngsters as they have a go at being doctors and nurses themselves.
Our big world has been shrunk down for curious young minds in the interactive Little World series. These books help toddlers explore both familiar and new environments with a slide, push or pull element on every spread. This bright and charming book takes you on a trip to the busy shopping centre where there is lots to spot and learn about. Small hands will be kept busy as you try on clothes in a changing room or choose a snack from the food court.
This time Topsy and Tim are off to the dentist for the very first time, and they’re not quite sure what to expect. Will it be scary? Follow Topsy and Tim as they get their teeth checked, before learning how to keep them healthy at home. Little ones will be reassured by the twins’ experiences, and those anxious about visiting the dentist will soon realise there’s no need to be frightened.
Bedtime books for sleepy heads
Twinkle the Little Unicorn is so excited about Christmas that there’s no way she’s going to be able to sleep! And she’s not alone – someone very special is having a stressful Christmas Eve and could do with her help. Will 10 minutes be enough time to come to the rescue and get tucked up in bed? Countdown to bedtime with this magical story from the Ten Minutes to Bed series that will have little ones ready to snooze before you’ve even put it down.
Mum says it's bedtime but Pablo isn’t sure he wants to go to sleep. He and his friend Wren are worried that when it gets dark, they’ll disappear. Luckily their other friends are on hand to reassure them that there’s nothing to be scared of. This is an uplifting bedtime story about friendship which will also comfort any other little ones who might be afraid of the dark and will also teach an understanding of those on the autistic spectrum.
Curl up after a busy day with this fabulous new collection of original stories for four-year-olds. These tales are designed to be listened to before bed and are accompanied by soothing sound effects and music to send even the most excitable kiddies off to sleep soundly. And possibly their parents or carers too!
The six stories in this illustrated collection of classic tales from around the world feature some wonderfully adventurous girls, all using their wits, courage and strength to overcome the odds. Featuring an introduction from renowned children’s author Jacqueline Wilson , the tales included are Gretel and Hansel, Tamasha and the Troll , Tokoyo and the Sea Serpent, Chandra and the Elephants, Sea Girl and the Golden Key and The Snow Queen . Perfect bedtime reading for boys and girls alike.
Gorgeous gift books
Introduce your little reader to some of the most beloved classics with this beautiful collection. Each tale is accompanied by enchanting illustrations which will fill a child with wonder and delight over and over again. They can read about the adventures of Puss in Boots, follow Goldilocks as she inadvertently steals some porridge as well as a few more favourite fairy tales in this anthology.
Everyone loves a superhero and this collection of icons is sure to inspire any four-year-old. They can head off on awesome adventures with these six mythical and legendary heroes from around the world. They’ll meet a range of larger-than-life characters along the way, from the brave Hua Mulan to the shape-shifting Anansi. This is a wonderful compilation to read together at bedtime or when stuck indoors.
This diverse and contemporary collection provides a wonderful introduction to poetry for children aged four and up. From mermaids to rockets and everything in between, there’s something for every young poetry lover. Established and award-winning poets feature alongside new voices, spoken-word performers and hip-hop artists, and the gorgeously detailed illustrations by Laurie Stansfield make this an anthology everyone will enjoy dipping into. It even comes with an accompanying CD, featuring performances from some of the poets who appear in the collection.
Fun books to read aloud
Join Topsy and Tim as they visit the zoo, meeting all sorts of incredible animals from penguins to giraffes. They’d like to bring some of the animals home as pets, but Mummy and Daddy aren’t so sure… This Level 1 Read it yourself book is designed for very early readers. Again, it features a limited number of story words that are repeated throughout, building self-confidence for those who are new to reading as they have fun discovering the story.
Ladybird’s bestselling Read it Yourself Read it Yourself range all combine to help build the confidence of early readers.
