The Very Lonely Firefly centres on the eponymous protagonist’s search for the other fireflies, and along the way introduces various common light sources.

The Very Lonely Firefly centres on the eponymous protagonist’s search for the other fireflies, and along the way introduces various common light sources.
No one does stepped pages like Eric Carle, whose iconic The Very Hungry Caterpillar is undoubtedly the ‘Holey Grail’ of picturebook success.
This inventive board book presents a series of lighthearted animal-related riddles disguised as well-intentioned cautionary statements about what NOT to do, and thus gets kids to practise their lateral thinking skills while laughing and learning/recalling some fun facts about animals along the way.
Just when I thought we were past Sandra Boynton’s board books, along comes The Bunny Rabbit Show! — not just one of the cutest bunny books we’ve ever read, but also perfect for psyching the kids up for their year-end performances in school.
“Hurray for the brave firemen!”
We are huge fans of the Tibor Gergely-illustrated Little Golden Books (e.g. The Little Red Caboose, Daddies, and The Happy Man and His Dump Truck) and The Fire Engine Book is no exception.
Ten, Nine, Eight is a sweet bedtime book that centres around a father getting his toddler daughter ready for bed. The book also doubles as a counting book since it counts down from 10 to 1 the various things associated with the little girl’s bedtime routine, including the features of her cosy bedroom.
What do you get when 10 hungry monsters invade a little boy’s house? As it turns out, surprisingly little bloodshed but a whole lot of mess and chaos — and a terrific counting book. The unique premise of One Hungry Monster sets it apart from the usual counting book since it reads like a fun story that just happens to offer opportunities for counting (as opposed to the many books that attempt the opposite).
The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse is a deceptively simple book that, on first read, seems to be nothing more than a collection of boldly colourful animals purportedly painted by the boy in the book, who declares on the very first page: “I am an artist.”
A Tale of Tails is a classic Golden Book about the types of tails that different animals have and some of the functions they serve, such as assisting a bird in flying, or a fish in swimming.
There’s something enchantingly simple, sweet and calming about the way the words flow in Time for Bed that makes it both a pleasure to read aloud and well as to listen to — an underrated quality that can make or break a children’s book, particularly one that is intended to be read to lull a child to sleep.