Red and the City by Marie Voigt Little Red Ridinghood gets an up to date makeover in this somewhat anti-capitalist take on the story. The woods are replaced by roads and big city buildings, whilst the wolf becomes all that is tempting and scary in the world of retail consumerism. It’s all too easy to find yourself gobbled up by …

The Wonderbird by David Lucas Every now and again I come across a book that owes a lot of it’s power to graphic design and the way in which it has been artistically realised. This is one such book and it is visually very striking. Inspired by flocks of birds coming together to make all sorts of wonderful shapes and …

In Blossom by Cheon Yooju This is a very simple picture book, but very charming nonetheless. Cat finds the perfect spot to eat her lunch under a cherry tree in full blossom, who is shortly joined by dog who wants to read his book. In truth there is not much of a story but that is not the point of …

Wishing for a Dragon by Becky Cameron What do children wish for? Fantasy, adventure and a special friend? Well here you get all three as we are whisked away on a hot-air balloon journey of discovery, taking in pirates, jungles and maybe even a dragon. Becky is a highly qualified illustrator and pictures she creates are very accomplished. A treat …

Tidy by Emily Gravett Is it possible to be too tidy? Are we obsessed with neatness and everything in it’s proper place? Pete the badger certainly is in this tale of order being taken a step too far.  It nicely rhymes and skips along very easily. A pleasure to read out loud. The illustrations are super with fun characters and …

There’s a Tiger in the Garden by Lizzy Stewart This is a nice story that takes the shape of an imaginative journey though grandma’s garden, full of all sorts of wonderful things, but is there a tiger in there? A sceptical Nora intends to find out and things will never be the same again. The illustrations are classic children’s picture …

Grumpy Duck by Joyce Dunbar and Petr Horacek This a fun story set in a farmyard. Duck is a bit grumpy because her pond has dried up. Bored she goes off to find a friend to play with, however she doesn’t want to do the things the other animals do. Meanwhile a small cloud is getting bigger so guess what …

A Child of Books by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston This book is an intriguing and thought provoking exploration of the imagination that can come from reading. Of course you can’t really go wrong with Oliver Jeffers who always manages to touch on something deep within us. Here he explores various genres of stories we have all loved and brings …

A Bit Lost by Chris Haughton This was the debut picture book by the author illustrator and has won multiple award across numerous countries. What makes it so good? Well it’s simplicity really. It’s a tale of an owl who falls out of the tree and goes in search of his mummy and gets introduced to various potential mummies. It’s …

Baby’s First Jailbreak by Jim Whalley and Stephen Collins This is a follow up story to ‘Baby’s First Bank Heist’ which I haven’t read, but will ensure I do as this second book is superb! Baby Frank likes animals and creates a zoo in his house (as you do), however a rival baby who is rich opens up his own …