our favourite children's books

Despite being in lockdown for the majority of this year I managed to get surprisingly little reading done… turns out having a small baby on the move is far too distracting to read adult literature! We have however gotten through plenty of children’s books and I’ve come across so many I hadn’t heard of which are well worth a mention (not forgetting some brilliant classics).

This Is Not My Hat

by Jon Klassen

This is a peculiarly, brilliant, RANDOM story about a small fish who steals a bigger fish’s hat…. and what happens to you when you steal something which isn’t yours. The first time we read it to Marlow she couldn’t stop giggling.

The Day The Crayons Quit

by Drew Daywalt

illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

This is by far my favourite children’s book of all time. It is hilarious, charming, beautifully written and illustrated. Everything you need in a children’s book. Such an ingenious story. Oliver Jeffers says he always vowed he would never illustrate another writer’s storybook… until he came across this one and he loved it so much he wanted to get on board. I can appreciate his enthusiasm. It’s a book you will come back to again and again and tells the tale of little Duncan who one day receives a fat pile of letters from his unhappy packet of crayons detailing each of their hilarious irritations!

When I Am Big

by Maria Dek

A perfect counting book for children. With attractive illustrations, this book details twenty-five things children can do as they grow older. My personal favourites being to 'have eighteen pet spiders' and eat ‘twenty pizzas in one sitting’ … because who hasn’t done that?

What’s At The Top

by Marc Martin

Another of my favourites. It asks multiple questions hypothesising what might be at the top of a ladder, with absurd rhymes, and beautiful illustrations.

Elmer

by David McKee

I grew up with this storybook - and love it. If you haven’t seen the short eight minute Elmer animation on YouTube you need to track it down. My sister and mum bought me a collector’s edition of this book before Marlow came along and many of our family and friends wrote messages in the insert. The moral to this story is quite simply to stand out from the crowd and embrace your differences… and I can’t wait to pass that message onto our daughter.

Giraffes Can’t Dance

by Giles Andreae

illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees

Gerald is a giraffe who attends a jungle dance but doesn’t know how to dance like the other animals. He’s laughed off the stage and wanders away miserably, where he bumps into a wise cricket who tells him, ‘sometimes when you’re different, you just need a different song.’ The message is heartwarming and the entire story is told in the most catchy rhyme! (It’ll be in your head for days - in a good way).

Guess How Much I Love You

by Sam McBratney

illustrated by Anita Jeram

I gifted this storybook to Ryan on our very first anniversary, and since then we have collected a series of Sam McBratney’s stories. It tells the tale of Big Nutbrown Hare and Little Nutbrown Hare as they each proclaim their love for one another, and there is nothing which warms my heart more than hearing Ryan read this to our daughter before bed.

Julián Is A Mermaid

by Jessica Love

This book is so special to me. We found a copy signed by the author - Jessica Love in a little independent bookstore in New York just after we lost our first baby. We took it home, with so much hope that we would be able to read it one day to our little one. It tells the tale of a young boy Julián from Brooklyn, NY who spots three ‘mermaids’ on the subway while travelling with his abuela. He decides he wants to be a ‘mermaid’ too and she helps him embrace his individuality and desire to be just as beautiful as the other ‘mermaids’. It’s the book I cherish the most, and I love how the story nurtures a message of acceptance and celebrates individuality.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

by Eric Carle

Another storybook I grew up with and another I had on Marlow’s bookshelf before she came earthside. It was first published in 1969 and has sold over 50 million copies worldwide. If you don’t already know it - it is a must read and tells the story of a caterpillar who eats his way through a variety of snacks on his journey before transforming into a beautiful butterfly. It helps teach little ones the days of the week, numbers and the life cycle of a butterfly.