Books to read aloud to ages 4 and 5

Scuttle, swim, wiggle and jiggle in this delightful seaside rhyming story that will get children reading and moving along!

Goldilocs rewrites her story. She’s not a porridge-stealer or a chair-breaker! This twist on a classic fairy tale uses bouncing rhymes and a fresh perspective to create a truly engaging picture book. 

Everyone’s good at something, but what am I good at? A gentle story that will echo young children’s worries, while providing reassurance. A joyous celebration of individuality.

Written for very young readers, this enchanting picture book about the life cycle of a star breaks down the stages of its life into easily understandable chunks. 

Young Michael thinks his dad knows everything, but when Michael’s dad pops a forkful of steaming potato straight into his mouth without blowing on it, it turns out that perhaps there might be some gaps in his knowledge. 

When all the toys are kidnapped by King Dust Bunny, it’s up to the Kid Rex to save the day. A fun, comic book-style story full of dino-tastic action.

A charming picture book with a fun, bouncy rhyme to read out loud, which references a number of well-known fairy tales. 

A picture book about how grumpy Daniel starts to notice the sweet things in life and improves his mood. 

Bear can’t find Pierre! Can you help Bear? A delightful rhyming story with an interactive element of spotting the penguin on the page. 

Molly lives with all the other monkeys in the jungle, but Molly has a secret: she’s a pig. A picture book with a message about difference and inclusion. 

A child is convinced that their neighbour is keeping a dinosaur as a pet, but none of the adults agree! Find out who is right in this fun, rhyming picture book, with heaps of dinosaurs to spot in the illustrations. 

Hari the tiger must journey through the jungle and avoid the dangers of deforestation to find the mythical Kingdom of Tigers. A beautiful picture book that covers themes of habitat loss sensitively.

Milo really wants to climb the mountain. But he’s scared. Can he do it? A joyful story about community and friendship. 

Ken Wilson-Max’s lovely story is based on the planting of the Great Green Wall of Africa, a project involving people from 11 countries that aims to slow down the spread of the desert by planting trees and plants. 

Hugely inventive and funny. Take an alphabet book, break all the rules, add in a trip to France, and you have this book, which will make children and adults laugh and laugh.

Magpie takes all the interesting words for herself, but then the woods grow silent. Can she learn to share? A lyrical rhyming story about friendship and sharing, with an array of sparkling vocabulary and a glossary.

Goat and Mole want to play a game, but they can’t agree on what to play. Full of puns and silly rhymes, this is a very funny story about friendship. 

Inside an imaginary glass butterfly house, we make our way through a variety of butterfly and moth species, all fabulously illustrated by the very talented Alice Pattullo. A very lovely and informative read.