Books we love in December 2023

With felt flaps to lift, and a mirror at the end, this small and sturdy book can be attached to a buggy or highchair and enjoyed wherever Baby is! An absolute treat. 

This sturdy lift-the-flap board book provides a first introduction for very young children to Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights.  

Bright, inviting illustrations and catchy, rhyming text make this a super festive, super fun book to share with babies and toddlers. With sliders to push and pull! 

A delightful book about a small frog on a perilous journey, filled with fun actions and words to share and copy. Perfect for bedtime!  

While waiting for her mama to return from work, Mama’s sleeping scarf becomes an object of magic and whimsy in Chino’s imaginative play. 

Funny picture book about a Badger who is loud and wild and eventually finds his tribe in a heavy rock band. 

Let’s get to know monsters a little better.What do they like? What don’t they like? The simple text promotes conversations about what makes us different, using slightly scary – but thrilling! –monsters. 

It’s only been ten minutes since Albert’s dad left the living room, but in that time, chaos has occurred! Dad comes in to find a flustered Albert lying amongst toppled-over furniture with mud and macaroni cheese covering the walls. Albert blames the mess on the dog in the room. But wait a minute – Albert doesn’t have a dog...Whose dog is this? 

The rhyming text intentionally leads the child towards a wrong answer every time, and then the real answer is revealed under the large flap. With repeated reading, this might mean that children will learn the correct answer, remember it, and then get the pleasure of being right when they revisit the book. 

This beautiful rhyming picture book re-introduces Gertie the little yak and her yak family as they are about to embark on an epic journey to relocate to a new home for the herd. Will Little Gertie get to their new home without any disasters? Funny and heart-warming.  

When Emma’s turkey goes missing, her neighbours join forces to ensure she has an extra special Christmas day. A heart-warming picture book, full of Christmas spirit.  

Kiona and Mummy are playing catch, but Kiona is finding it tricky. Everything she tries to catch is either too big, too small or too hard or too soft. Luckily, Mummy knows there is a very special something Kiona can always catch…  

Peace on earth – what a wonderful idea that would be! The idea of a sparkling, joyful world is a beautiful one. Yet, sometimes, we can hurt each other, and feel the fires of rage burn deep within us. At times like that, it’s hard to find a sense of peace. 

This absolutely brilliant Christmas romp of a picture book is a real delight. Ardagh’s rhyming text rolls off the tongue very satisfactorily and there are lots of nice repetitive moments that invite little ones to repeat along and even shout out – particularly when the sleigh appears to be headed straight for a clock tower! Ben Mantle’s lovely illustrations are full of great details, and the bunnies are incredibly cute. 

A beautiful and thought-provoking picture book about a mum losing her hearing.

This absolutely brilliant Christmas picture book is just as deadpan and hilarious as you might expect, given this is the team that gave us Circle and Square, and The Wolf, the Duck and the Mouse. New and old fans of Klassen’s will love his adorable, offbeat illustration, and the text is warm and quirky too. A real treat. 

Luna and her family are doing something a little different this year for Christmas – they’re volunteering. First, Luna helps Mum deliver food bank packages to neighbours and then she and Dad bake cookies for the big community Christmas dinner. A truly magical book and a real celebration of community and family.   

The magical Night Train takes some very special passengers to Sleepy Town, where they will become the main characters in children​’s dreams. An imaginative, wintery tale with short chapters and colourful, expressive illustrations. 

A charming chapter book starring a curious kitty and a princess who loves her very much. Wintry, snowy fun! 

This delightful first chapter book is illustrated in black and white on every page and is a great way for newly independent readers to experience Christmas in India in the company of two excited young boys.  

In this joyful picture book follow-up to classic Christmas tale How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the Grinch has changed his ways.He is no longer the grouchy, mean-spiritedhermit who wants to ruin Christmas for the Whos, the residents of Who-ville. In fact, he now loves Christmas. 

Humphrey the egg isn’t allowed to do anything energetic – especially not climb walls. But when he and his new friend are locked in the park, he has to escape somehow! A very funny graphic novel that will have children giggling out loud. 

Despite being terrified of water, Ita feels strangely drawn to the nearby river and, when she ventures to put her hands beneath the surface, discovers something unexpected and magical that gradually changes how she sees the world. 

A festive treat of a book that will provide stimulus for conversation, imaginative dreaming and much bonding over choosing the same thing! Fun, brightly illustrated and part of a brilliant series. 

This engaging collection of ancient Indian animal fables is accompanied by stylish, vibrant illustrations. 

Dealing with contemporary concerns such as climate change, yet steeped in ancient Irish myth, history and folklore, this thrilling fantasy crackles and fizzes like the magic within its pages. 

Evolution can be defined as the way that living things change over time to suit their environment. In this rather stunning and highly informative read, real-life scientists Sarah Darwin and Eva-Maria Sadowski introduce readers to some of the amazing animals, plants and fungi that have lived on our planet, from dinosaurs to early humans, mushrooms and bacteria to monkeys and fish and beyond! 

This hilarious, action-packed comic bookis both a funny story with the relatable set-up of internet celebrity, and an astute take on cancel culture and social media. Presented in black and white, with highlights of red for a pop of colour, and short chunks of text, it’s a more accessible book for struggling readers, and should have great appeal for reluctant readers too. A brilliant new series from the creator of ​‘The Bad Guys’ for kids to get their teeth into.  

When Cas discovers hemust defeat a powerfully evil Master of All, as the Foretold, he goes to the Wayward School tolearn to control his magical powers. Packed with themes of friendship, courage and kindness, and with good disability representation.  

A powerful and quick to read adventure story on saving a humpback whale in Scotland.  

Harper suspects Mum’s new boyfriend, Nick, is really Father Christmas. He works with reindeer and has a big white beard, for goodness sake! But can she prove it? A fun, festive read. 

A funny, informative collection of inventions, both useful and failed, across the centuries from a best-selling author and illustrator pair.