Parenting

20 books we love…

...and you'll love snuggling up and reading to your toddler

As Book Week comes to an end, here are 20 books you and your children will enjoy together. Plus, it’s a great excuse for a cuddle.

Stella’s Starliner by Rosemary Wells (Walker Books, $19.95)

Stella’s shiny home on wheels has everything her family needs. This is a lovely story about overcoming bullying and finding friends who accept you for who you are.

The Dawn Chorus by Suzanne Barton (Bloomsbury, $24.99)

Peep, a tiny nightingale who’s desperate to belong, makes a new friend who shows him how special he truly is.

A Woolly Wombat Story: Best Of Friends by Kerry Argent (Scholastic, $6.99)

A simple, fun and wise tale that introduces little ones to the importance of friendship and forgiveness.

Big And Small by Elizabeth Bennett & Jane Chapman (Scholastic, $14.99)

Best friends Big and Small go out to play and end up learning about the importance of helping people.

The Bush Book Club by Margaret Wild & Ben Wood (Scholastic, $24.99)

When Bilby finally sits still long enough to read a book, he finds he loves it and realises what he’s been missing out on.

The Pigeon Needs A Bath! by Mo Willems (Walker Books, $16.95)

Having refused to take a bath for so long, Pigeon finally takes the plunge and discovers

the joys of bath time. It’s another delightful read in the anarchic Pigeon children’s

storybook series.

I Am Cow Hear Me Moo! by Jill Esbaum & Gus Gordon (Penguin, $24.99)

Nadine the cow takes her friends on a tour of the woods. She claims she is brave and afraid of nothing, but when night falls and she’s left all alone, she doesn’t feel so brave after all.

Wombat Jumped Over The Moon by Lachlan Creagh (Hachette, $14.99)

Wombat and his fellow indigenous wildlife friends are having a bush picnic, but they have almost run out of cake. They decide that whoever performs the best trick gets to eat

the last delicious piece.

Bring On The Birds by Susan Stockdale (Penguin, $24.99)

Rhyming text and brightly coloured illustrations introduce your child to the wonderful world of birds – both exotic and familiar. A charming picture book that will encourage an

ongoing fascination.

Whose Food? by Jonathan Litton & Kate Daubney (Templar Publishing, $7.99)

Use the rhyming clues and spinning wheel in this sturdy board book to help bub match the dog with his bone and the mouse with his cheese. Or mix it up to create your own crazy food and animal combinations.

What Will Hatch? by Jennifer Ward & Susie Ghahremani (Bloomsbury, $15.99)

With a cut-out on each page and simple rhyming words, little readers will love trying to guess what will hatch from the group of eggs in their natural setting, then turning the page to see if they were right.

Alberta by Tania Cox & Janine Dawson (Working Title Press, $14.99)

When Alberta the penguin’s parents tell her she will soon be a big sister, she is very excited by the news. However, when the day arrives she can’t help but feel a little disappointed.

I Love My Baby Because… by Paullina Simons & Cassia Thomas (HarperCollins, $24.99)

This book celebrates everything toddlers do throughout the day, ranging from the fun (and chaos) of getting dressed and feeding to snuggling up for a story at bedtime.

On My Way To Bed by Sarah Maizes (Bloomsbury, $21.99)

When Livi is called for bedtime and doesn’t want to go, her imagination takes her on a journey full of daring obstacles and exciting adventures as she travels through space, walks a tightrope, climbs a mountain and brushes a hippo’s tooth.

Happy Baby Bedtime (Scholastic, $4.99)

A sturdy board book full of bedtime words and pictures that will help your little one learn all about drifting off to the land of nod.

Baby Bedtime by Mem Fox & Emma Quay (Penguin, $24.99)

Inspired by the love parents have for their babies, this rhyming tale helps lull babies

into a peaceful sleep.

Eliot Midnight Superhero by Anne Cottringer & Alex T. Smith (Scholastic, $15.99)

Quiet by day, Eliot transforms into a brave superhero at midnight, out to save the world.

My Nanna Is A Ninja by Damon Young & Peter Carnavas (University of Queensland Press, $24.95)

Celebrate the many different personalities of grandmothers and how special they are with an amusing and poetic picture book that will make you laugh aloud.

Here In The Garden by Briony Stewart (University of Queensland Press, $24.95)

Centred around a boy and his pet rabbit, this beautifully illustrated story is a lovely reminder that it’s possible to stay connected with a loved one through your heart and memories.

Wimpy Shrimpy by Matt Buckingham (Scholastic, $14.99)

Shrimpy is too scared to play, always worrying about getting squashed by a ball or his legs tangling up during hopscotch. One day his confidence grows and he soon realises how much fun he’s been missing out on.

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