The Runaway Pea: what to read next

If your children just want to join the Pea on more exciting escapades, they’re in luck – Kjartan and Alex have just released a sequel!

The Runaway Pea: Washed Away sees our intrepid hero hiding under a pile of washing-up bubbles… only to find himself zooming down the plug! Meeting a nervous spider, a hungry duck and an enormous frog before exploring the dark and smelly sewers, will the Pea ever make his way home?

If it’s joining a pea on adventures that you enjoyed, you’re in luck – there are lots of other pea-themed stories that we think you should check out!

Children who don’t really enjoy eating their vegetables might enjoy Valdemar’s Peas by Maria Jönsson or Emily MacKenzie’s There’s Broccoli in my Ice Cream, while Time to Eat by Penny Tassoni and Mel Four is sure to get little ones thinking about the food they enjoy.

Of course, one of the most famous fairytales is The Princess and the Pea and there are some wonderful retellings for you to enjoy! Lauren Child and Polly Borland’s adaptation of the story is highly imaginative and gorgeous to look at, while The Princess and the Peas by Caryl Hart and Sarah Warburton is full of fun. Meanwhile, Mini Grey’s The Pea and the Princess reimagines the story from the point of view of the pea – perfect for Runaway Pea fans!

For more stories about peas, you might like to try Morag Hood’s adorable Colin and Lee: Carrot and Pea – a lovely tale of friendship and difference – or Michael Foreman’s classic War and Peas.

If you liked The Runaway Pea, you might enjoy some of the other books we’ve gifted to reception children over the years!

• The Bumblebear by Nadia Shireen: Follow Norman the bear on his quest to get more honey, by dressing up in a costume and joining Bee School! But will his new classmate Amelia catch him out?
• Mr Big by Ed Vere: Mr Big looks so scary that when he gets on the bus, everyone else gets off, leaving him feeling lonely. But will things change when he discovers an old piano and begins to play?
• Kitchen Disco by Claire Foges and Al Murphy: Discover the truth about what happens when you go to sleep and all the fruit in the bowl comes to life!
• The Cave by Rob Hodgson: The Cave is home to a creature that will never leave because of the wolf outside – but when the wolf offers a delicious doughnut and the creature is tempted to make an appearance, what will happen?
• Little Monkey by Marta Altés: Tired of being too small to join in with the rest of her group, Little Monkey takes matters into her own hands and decides to climb the tallest tree in the jungle…
• Tim’s Din by Monica Hughes and Bill Ledger: What sort of mischief do monkeys get up to when they’re bored? Find out in this fun story.
• But Excuse Me That Is My Book by Lauren Child: Join Charlie and Lola on a trip to the library to look at all the different types of story Lola might enjoy!
• Funnybones by Allen and Janet Ahlberg: Meet a family of skeletons who live in a dark, dark house in a dark, dark street…
• Slowly, Slowly, Slowly Said the Sloth by Eric Carle: A lovely tale from the author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar about the benefit of taking time out to live life slowly…
• Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy by Lynley Dodd: Join the adorable dog as he meets his friends (and enemy Scarface Claw)! You can enjoy our online storybook here.
• Open Very Carefully by Nicola O’Byrne and Nick Bromley: Uh oh! A crocodile has found his way into the pages of this brilliant book. Discover our online storybook here.

Those are some of our ideas – but what about you? What do you love reading?

Let us know by messaging us on social media @BookTrust using the hashtag #WhatToReadAfter