Great Books Guide Cymru 2023: 6 to 7

Can twins Austin and Alanna find the treasure chest before the sneaky pirates do? A fun young series sprinkled with magic.

Three children find the magic in their tower block – showing that nature and adventure is for everyone. A beautifully illustrated, lyrically told story.

This delightful and very funny cartoon-style guide to food chains is a brilliant introduction to the concept, and gives young readers/​listeners some simple facts about a range of animals and their eating habits, and the natural cycle of life. 

Three excellent short stories about the irrepressible Tola, a little girl with a big heart, living at the centre of her community in Lagos. Warm, fun and full of compassion.

When Keva’s grandpa is in hospital, she knows that a visit from Atlas, his giant tortoise, will cheer him up. But pets aren’t allowed… A delightful story about kindness – and some unusual pets!

Can Sammy work out why she can’t score a goal? Fizzing with energy and positivity, this rhyming picture book explores finding the confidence to embrace your individuality.

A vibrant and uplifting picture book about managing feelings of shyness to achieve your dreams. Timmy would love to perform on stage but can they tame their inner shy lion to make their dream a reality?

In this clever picture book, Neal Layton explains that there are some things that everything alive has in common: they are cellular, they grow and they can reproduce. 

This is the first book in a new series from Mo O’Hara, the author of many hilarious picture books such as My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish and the early reader Agent Moose series. It’s a lovely book for younger readers who still want something illustrated, with plenty of fun and bee facts along the way.

Gerald the elephant thinks that pigs make him sneeze, but his best friend is a pig! What is he to do? A very funny simple story told in speech bubbles – perfect for beginner readers.

Class One have all made paper lanterns shaped like clocks to celebrate the shortest day of the year, and the days becoming longer. A dyslexia-friendly, accessible book with striking illustrations.

Bumble and Snug have teamed up with a unicorn! But when the unicorn creates chaos with too much magical ​‘help’, the friends must find a way to still have fun, but consider others. Fantastic fun.

When Pedro the mouse meets the Adventuremice, he has a chance to prove his bravery. Can they stop an otter from terrorising the Mouse Islands? A delightful bite-size adventure vibrantly illustrated in full colour.

Aimed specifically at early readers, this super-fun colourful and accessible story will appeal to young gamers, and any child who enjoys simple yet engaging books.

Cleverly showing the actual size of predators – or their deadly teeth, feet or coils – using vibrant illustrations, this book conveys a lot of information in an appealing, bite-size way.

Look out! Three fearsome monsters are coming to gobble you up! Hide inside the houses of the three little pigs, Hansel and Gretel and Sleeping Beauty. With 40 flaps to lift, this large format picture book is lots of fun for all ages.

Muffin the puffin wants to join the Puffin Rescue Team, but will her oddly-shaped feet let her down? A delightful tale of courage, making friends and starting new challenges.

When best friends Aisha and Jayden become members of the Secret Beast Club, their first magical mission is to rescue a lost unicorn foal before he falls into the wrong hands. An exciting fantasy adventure for confident young readers.

A lyrical story about Miles, who finds and looks after a lost little budgie. With a dyslexia friendly format and effortlessly inclusive characters.

Perfect for animal lovers and mystery fans alike, this gentle series stars a Deaf character and her beloved dog. Can Lizzie and Lucky find Ruby, the star magician’s rabbit?

A little boy is watching TV with his mum one day and starts asking questions about scientists. What are they doing to save the world right now?

William the lamb can’t stand still or be quiet for very long – but this proves useful when the Big Bad Wolf comes along! Accessible and full of humour, this is a very enjoyable story for new readers.

Bear and Bird are best friends, and, like many friends, sometimes one or the other of them makes a mistake or gets cross or jealous of the other. Luckily, though, they’re good enough friends to get past any hiccups or mishaps they might encounter, and get on with the important stuff: enjoying each other’s company and being a bit silly, now and again.

A stunning collection of poems, beautifully illustrated, that explores and celebrate feelings of all kinds. Perfect for reading aloud, and for curling up with.