What’s That Noise?
by Charlie Higson, illustrated by Nadia Shireen
Interest age: 3 to 7
Reading age: 7+
Published by Simon & Schuster, 2025
About this book
“One day Bob found a box big enough to be a house and hide in. He made a hole in the box to see out of – and he was ready.”
Young Bob has plenty of noisy fun in his box: stamping like a T-Rex, brumming his car, and eating crunchy cereal that goes 'pop'. And every time a passer-by stops and thinks they’ve heard something… Bob goes completely silent until they move on.
As the book continues, Bob gets more and more outrageously fun and LOUD things into his box – a jelly, a ghost, and a yodelling monkey to name but a few!
This wonderfully silly picture book celebrates the joys of imagination, language and noise. It is fantastic to read aloud with its rhythmic text and building absurdity, and children will want to have it read to them over and over again (especially the bit with the yodelling monkey!)
The illustrations also capture the simple yet limitless fun that can be had with a cardboard box and a lively imagination. Nadia Shireen’s artwork is pleasingly bold and uncluttered on the page but manages to convey a huge amount of personality and humour.
A lovely book to read with children to have fun with language and to inspire imaginative play.
About the author
About the illustrator
More books like this
-
Double or Die
by Charlie Higson
9 to 14 years
-
SilverFin
by Charlie Higson
9 to 14 years
-
The Enemy
by Charlie Higson
9 to 14 years
-
Blood Fever
by Charlie Higson
9 to 14 years
Lists of recommended reads
-
Great Books Guide 2025-26: for 4 to 5-year-olds
Here’s a round-up of new children’s books from the last year, which we think any child aged 4 to 5 will love