Our intrepid volunteer Nicola highlights some fun and interesting picture books that will appeal to both young children and their parents!

With 10,000 new children’s books published each year, it can feel overwhelming knowing where to start when you want to buy new books for your children or school. Understandably, people often return to old favourites and well-known names. At The Bookery, we are always here to help with this dilemma and this month we have selected six of the best, recently published picture books. We hope you will enjoy reading and sharing stories by these talented authors and illustrators and that they will soon become your new favourites.

How To Count To ONE! – Casper Salmon
This is a unique counting book where the challenge is ONLY to count to one! This book will withstand endless readings and explorations because of the details in the bold, child-friendly illustrations. Children will love counting, comparing, matching, adding and subtracting and it is a perfect book for mixed age children to share together as older children will appreciate the tongue-in-cheek humour. For teachers it would make a brilliant story to read aloud and could be used as a stimulus for teaching a whole range of maths skills. The QR code enables children to listen to the story being read aloud. If you enjoy this book then look out for The Cat and the rat and the hat written by Em Lynas also illustrated by Matt Hunt.

You Can’t Let An Elephant Drive A Racing Car – Patricia Cleveland-Peck and David Tazzyman
Have you ever seen a weightlifting wombat, or a figure-skating alligator? How about a pole-vaulting hippo, or an octopus…playing table tennis? Jam-packed with silly animals and all your favourite sports, it’s rhyming, riotous, irresistible fun! If you enjoy this, there are four more in the series, featuring animals tackling diggers, buses, fire engines and ice cream vans!

Agent Llama – Angela Woolfe and Duncan Beedie
Super-spy llama Charlie Palmer must use all her skills and gadgets to retrieve the Prime Minister’s underpants, stolen by a duo of evil villains. This is hilarious with such a clever plot; a thrilling, rhyming adventure. If you enjoy this, then why not try Secret Agent Elephant by Eoin McLaughlin and best-selling illustrator Ross Collins.

Martha Maps It Out – Leigh Hodgkinson
Martha LOVES drawing maps. She creates maps of everything, even her thoughts and dreams! Full of quirky details and fun non-fiction labels that children will love poring over this will bear endless readings. In a school context it would be a great stimulus for children to create their own maps.

I Am NOT A Prince – Rachael Davis and Beatrix Hatcher
On a misty lagoon in a fairy tale land, young frogs wait patiently to be turned into magical princes. But one little frog is different . . . Hopp is a frog who definitely does NOT want to be a prince! A fairy tale for the 21st century that challenges gender stereotypes and encourages children to be proud to be themselves. Vibrant illustrations and interesting page layout add to the appeal.

Oscar’s Tower Of Flowers – Lauren Tobia
Oscar’s Mum has to go away for a while, so he is staying with Nana in her city apartment. Oscar loves drawing flowers and they are a reminder of his Mum, so he and Nana decide to grow some of their own. Soon the apartment is overflowing with greenery which is when Oscar decides to share some with their neighbours. This glorious, wordless picture book is full of graphic panels and sweeping spreads which capture the impact that Oscar’s generous deed has on his community. When his Mum returns by the end of the book you can see the changes through her eyes. However small, we can all make a difference.