So, after coming home to find my not so little kitten Flynn in a box, who was fairly unhappy to be disturbed, I was reminded me of one of my favourite picture books . . . My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes by Eve Sutton. This amazing book has a brilliant rhyme scheme, a individual illustration style and the best line from any picture book ever, "The cat from Norway, got stuck in a doorway."
Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton is a book I've discovered since being a children's bookseller with Waterstones (6/7years now). Splat is an awkward cat who is about to start his first day at school. Like all little ones he has worries about making friends and so he takes his pet mouse with him....was this a good idea....of course not!! Rob Scotton created a lovely new character for a series of picture books, which have been delighting children ever since. The Valentine themed book Love Splat (Yup, it had a very unfortunate name) was especially good.
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems is a book that no one in their right mind could dislike...Oh how the pigeon wants to drive the bus, but no we mustn't let him. Can you imagine what would happen if we did. Feathers Everywhere!!! Willems has written and illustrated a brilliant interactive book to read with groups of children, who can respond and move along with the story. There is an epicness to this title that cannot be felt until you have experienced it's JOY!
One of the reasons picture books are so popular is that they often hold morals that children need to learn, but they teach them subtly and in a fun way. Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam by Tracey Corderoy and Steven Lenton, is one of these. Teaching children that stealing brings nothing good to those who do it...what is brilliant is the fact that the characters (all dogs by the way) decide they should be bakers instead. This is a very new book, still on offer at Waterstones, but it is so lovely it definitely deserves a mention.
(And after putting it aside yesterday for myself to buy, I ended up having to sell it to a lovely woman who I couldn't deny the chance to have this awesome book.)
Following this I decided to share with you some of my favourite picture books of all time, there are quite a few, so I've had to select a few special one.
So let's start with the best picture book available for really young ones, and to be honest one I can recite pretty much from cover to cover if necessary. Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet and Allan Ahlberg. When you start this book and discover the gorgeous and fun rhyming scheme where "Mother Hubbard is in the Cellar" and you "Spy Cinderella", you'll never forget this children's classic. The Ahlberg's drawing and writing style is iconic, and we all remember favourites such as Funny Bones and Cops and Robbers, but it will always be Each Peach... that remains in my top 10.
Next is the loveliest story of friendship written in the last few years. Oliver Jeffers' Lost and Found tells the story of a boy and a penguin, who discover the age old adage of home being where the heart is. After trying to return the lost Penguin to wherever he came from, the boy discovers maybe he didn't want to be home, instead he wanted a Friend! I am a huge fan of Jeffers and though this is my favourite of the Penguin tales, I also hold a lot of love in my heart for Up and Down, the sequel.
Following this I decided to share with you some of my favourite picture books of all time, there are quite a few, so I've had to select a few special one.
So let's start with the best picture book available for really young ones, and to be honest one I can recite pretty much from cover to cover if necessary. Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet and Allan Ahlberg. When you start this book and discover the gorgeous and fun rhyming scheme where "Mother Hubbard is in the Cellar" and you "Spy Cinderella", you'll never forget this children's classic. The Ahlberg's drawing and writing style is iconic, and we all remember favourites such as Funny Bones and Cops and Robbers, but it will always be Each Peach... that remains in my top 10. 
Next is the loveliest story of friendship written in the last few years. Oliver Jeffers' Lost and Found tells the story of a boy and a penguin, who discover the age old adage of home being where the heart is. After trying to return the lost Penguin to wherever he came from, the boy discovers maybe he didn't want to be home, instead he wanted a Friend! I am a huge fan of Jeffers and though this is my favourite of the Penguin tales, I also hold a lot of love in my heart for Up and Down, the sequel.
Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton is a book I've discovered since being a children's bookseller with Waterstones (6/7years now). Splat is an awkward cat who is about to start his first day at school. Like all little ones he has worries about making friends and so he takes his pet mouse with him....was this a good idea....of course not!! Rob Scotton created a lovely new character for a series of picture books, which have been delighting children ever since. The Valentine themed book Love Splat (Yup, it had a very unfortunate name) was especially good.
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems is a book that no one in their right mind could dislike...Oh how the pigeon wants to drive the bus, but no we mustn't let him. Can you imagine what would happen if we did. Feathers Everywhere!!! Willems has written and illustrated a brilliant interactive book to read with groups of children, who can respond and move along with the story. There is an epicness to this title that cannot be felt until you have experienced it's JOY!
One of the reasons picture books are so popular is that they often hold morals that children need to learn, but they teach them subtly and in a fun way. Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam by Tracey Corderoy and Steven Lenton, is one of these. Teaching children that stealing brings nothing good to those who do it...what is brilliant is the fact that the characters (all dogs by the way) decide they should be bakers instead. This is a very new book, still on offer at Waterstones, but it is so lovely it definitely deserves a mention.
There are many more that need mentioning on this blog post, but it can't go on forever, so just like the end of a speech at the Oscars I'm going to quickly run through some of the titles:
- The Light House Keepers Lunch
- The Hungry Caterpillar
- One Snowy Night
- Aliens in Underpants
- Open Very Carefully
- Winnie the Witch
- Meg and Mog
- Mog the Forgetful Cat
- The Tiger Who Came to Tea
- Angelina Ballerina
Well I hope you've enjoyed this insight into my mind. Taran over and out.
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