Super books for the summer holidays for ages 0-5

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[Why not also check out our summer holiday reads for 5-8, 8-12 and 12+?]

Catch that Chicken, by Atinuke and illustrated by Angela Brooksbank, published by Walker Books

Lami loves chickens. She’s the best chicken catcher in the village. She’s fast, she’s brave and she always catches that chicken. Until the day she chases one up the baobab tree, slips … and falls. How can she catch chickens with a sore ankle? Could there be another way to catch that chicken?

Told with great humour by Nigerian storyteller, Atinuke, this story of the headstrong, impetuous Lami will strike a chord with all children. The gentle message – to use quick thinking not just quick running – gives an incredibly satisfying ending, while Angela Brooksbank’s beautiful artwork captures the energy and the beauty of the West African setting perfectly.

While We Can’t Hug, by Eoin McLaughlin, illustrated by Polly Dunbar, published by Faber

From the team behind the bestselling The Hug, comes a heart-warming picture book that shows us how to be affectionate while social distancing.

The Teeny Weeny Genie By Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Anna Currey, published by Macmillan Children’s Books

A brilliantly entertaining ‘be-careful-what-you-wish-for’ tale that’s full of farmyard fun – from the bestselling Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Anna Currey in her charming, classic style. 

Old Macdonald is cleaning out his farmhouse kitchen when he comes across a dusty old teapot. And no one could be more surprised when a wish-granting genie pops out of the spout. Old Macdonald wishes for a wife, who wishes for a baby. A baby who wishes for a dog, who wishes for a cat, who wishes for some mice! It doesn’t take long before the farmyard starts getting very busy, and VERY noisy! Will the genie ever get a break from granting wishes, and find some peace? If only there was someone who could grant him a wish . . .

Monsieur Roscoe on Holiday by Jim Field, published by Hodder Children’s Books

Learn French with Monsieur Roscoe in Jim Field’s debut author/illustrator picture book. Monsieur Roscoe is off on his summer holiday, meeting friends and learning lots of new words in French along the way!

Join Monsieur Roscoe as he camps, skis, sails and eats his way through France on the holiday of a lifetime!

A fun and colourful picture book from the bestselling illustrator of Oi Frog! and The Lion Inside, Monsieur Roscoe will make learning French exciting for the youngest children. Each new word appears alongside its English translation with a handy pronunciation guide.

Bing’s Playtime, published by HarperCollins Children’s Books

Keep your little one occupied throughout the summer holidays with this fantastic sticker book from Bing!

Join Bing as he makes a playhouse, takes a bus to the beach, puts on a puppet show, plays superher

oes and more! Find the right stickers inside to complete all of the fun puzzles and sticker scenes in this great gift for Bing fans.

Pop Up Peekaboo! Monsters, published by DK

Take your toddler on a spooky adventure in this lift-the-flap baby book with pictures that pop off the page!

This colourful pop-up peekaboo book follows adorable little monsters as they play hide-and-seek. Babies and toddlers can lift big flaps and see peekaboo surprises pop up from the pages: a funny little monster popping out of a plant pot, a hungry monster having a secret snack, a monster playing with bubbles in the bathroom, and a baby monster hiding under the bed!

Ideal for interactive preschool play, Pop-up Peekaboo! Monster will appeal to both parents and children and is certain to keep little ones entertained time and time again!

Mini Rabbit Must Help, by John Bond, published by HarperCollins Children’s Books

Another hilarious adventure featuring the irrepressibly enthusiastic Mini Rabbit! Wittily told and beautifully illustrated from dynamic new author / illustrator talent, John Bond.

Runaway Pea written by Kjartan Poskitt and Illustrated by Alex Willmore, published by Simon & Schuster

It’s time for tea, but one pesky pea has decided to ping himself off the plate in search of a party!

The rogue pea shoots, flings and bounces across the kitchen as he embarks on his perilous adventure – but will he find the fun he is looking for or is the kitchen a scarier place than he thought?

Barkley written and illustrated by Rebecca Crane, published by Walker Books

What kind of dog is Barkley? He’s not as big as newfoundlands, or as fluffy as pomeranians. And he’s definitely not as long as greyhounds. Maybe, Barkley thinks, he is just a nothing dog… Overwhelmed by a crisis of finding his identity and trying to work out what makes him special, Barkley finds himself a LOST dog, very far away from a little boy called Max – who loves him very much just the way he is! Maybe being somebody’s best friend dog is actually the very best thing he could be.