Great Books Guide Cymru 2024-25: For 4 to 5 year olds

A First Book of Dinosaurs

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.

Explore the guide in full

  • The Boy and the Octopus

    Author: Caryl Lewis Illustrator: Carmen Saldaña

    Interest level: 4-5

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  • The Boy and the Octopus

    Author: Caryl Lewis Illustrator: Carmen Saldaña

    Interest level: 4-5

    Reading age:

    Can Stanley’s octopus help Stanley face his fears? A moving and visually stunning book about expressing your emotions through art …

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  • Lilly & Myles: The Torch

    Author: Jon Roberts and Hannah Rounding

    Interest level: 3-8

    Reading age: 6+

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  • Lilly & Myles: The Torch

    Author: Jon Roberts and Hannah Rounding

    Interest level: 3-8

    Reading age: 6+

    Lilly is holidaying at Grandma’s seaside house in Wales.  She always enjoys her gran’s tall stories about sea monsters living…

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  • The Thunk

    Author: Michelle Robinson Illustrator: Deborah Allwright

    Interest level: 4-5

    Reading age: 4+

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  • The Thunk

    Author: Michelle Robinson Illustrator: Deborah Allwright

    Interest level: 4-5

    Reading age: 4+

    This is a fabulously funny picture book by the author of Ten Fat Sausages, brimming full of Michelle Robinson’s trademark silly hu…

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  • Spyceratops

    Author: Alex Willmore

    Interest level: 6-8

    Reading age: 5+

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  • Spyceratops

    Author: Alex Willmore

    Interest level: 6-8

    Reading age: 5+

    Spy goggles? Check. Spy bike? Check. Get ready for a top-secret action-packed Spyceratops mission. Super fun – with a surprise end…

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  • Hamster Heroes

    Author: Peter Bently Illustrator: John Bond

    Interest level: 4-7

    Reading age: 7+

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  • Hamster Heroes

    Author: Peter Bently Illustrator: John Bond

    Interest level: 4-7

    Reading age: 7+

    An action-packed and hilarious rhyming adventure which sees a team of hamster superheroes battle against a variety of rodent foes.…

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  • Holey Moley

    Author: Bethan Clarke Illustrator: Anders Frang

    Interest level: 3-7

    Reading age: 4+

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  • Holey Moley

    Author: Bethan Clarke Illustrator: Anders Frang

    Interest level: 3-7

    Reading age: 4+

    Moles live in holes, right? This funny book plays with rhyme as Gus the Goat tries to guess where his friend Mavis Mole lives.&nbs…

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  • The Best You

    Author: Nima Patel Illustrator: Cally Johnson-Isaacs

    Interest level: 6-8

    Reading age: 6+

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  • The Best You

    Author: Nima Patel Illustrator: Cally Johnson-Isaacs

    Interest level: 6-8

    Reading age: 6+

    In this gentle and uplifting picture book, the common question ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ is turned on its head. C…

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  • Aqua Boy

    Author: Ken Wilson-Max

    Interest level: 4-5

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  • Aqua Boy

    Author: Ken Wilson-Max

    Interest level: 4-5

    Reading age:

    Aaron is scared of going under the water. But when he finds an octopus stranded on the beach, he must be brave. A gentle story abo…

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  • Wild Book Day

    Author: Karl Newson Illustrator: James Brown

    Interest level: 4-5

    Reading age: 5+

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  • Wild Book Day

    Author: Karl Newson Illustrator: James Brown

    Interest level: 4-5

    Reading age: 5+

    It’s Wild Book Day, when all the pictures escape from the books. What fun they have! This is a book to make children leap about wi…

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  • Wanna see A Llama?

    Author: Simon Philip Illustrator: Ian Smith

    Interest level: 4-5

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  • Wanna see A Llama?

    Author: Simon Philip Illustrator: Ian Smith

    Interest level: 4-5

    Reading age:

    Two children are out and about in a city, looking for llamas. One of the children issupposedly a llama expert, but will the childr…

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  • My Family Your Family

    Author: Laura Henry-Allain Illustrator: Giovana Medeiros

    Interest level: 6-8

    Reading age: 6+

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  • My Family Your Family

    Author: Laura Henry-Allain Illustrator: Giovana Medeiros

    Interest level: 6-8

    Reading age: 6+

    An accessible, useful non-fiction guide to all types of families. 

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  • Flower Block

    Author: Lanisha Butterfield Illustrator: Hoang Giang

    Interest level: 4-5

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  • Flower Block

    Author: Lanisha Butterfield Illustrator: Hoang Giang

    Interest level: 4-5

    Reading age:

    Theo’s sunflower has grown right through the tower block! A delightful celebration of nature and community.  

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  • One Little Word

    Author: Joseph Coelho Illustrator: Allison Colpoys

    Interest level: 5-6

    Reading age: 6+

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  • One Little Word

    Author: Joseph Coelho Illustrator: Allison Colpoys

    Interest level: 5-6

    Reading age: 6+

    This is a poignant picture book about the power of friendship and knowing when to say sorry. The gentle, lyrical text from Childre…

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  • This Rock is Mine

    Author: Kaye Umansky Illustrator: Alice McKinley

    Interest level: 4-5

    Reading age: 4+

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  • This Rock is Mine

    Author: Kaye Umansky Illustrator: Alice McKinley

    Interest level: 4-5

    Reading age: 4+

    This is a fabulously funny picture book by the author of Ten Fat Sausages brimming full of Michelle Robinson’s trademark silly hum…

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  • Snail in Space

    Author: Rachel Bright Illustrator: Nadia Shireen

    Interest level: 4-5

    Reading age: 7+

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  • Snail in Space

    Author: Rachel Bright Illustrator: Nadia Shireen

    Interest level: 4-5

    Reading age: 7+

    Gail is a little snail with a big dream – to become the first snail in space! A hilarious story about the power of passion and per…

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  • Bum or Face?

    Author: Kari Lavelle

    Interest level: 5-9

    Reading age: 7+

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  • Bum or Face?

    Author: Kari Lavelle

    Interest level: 5-9

    Reading age: 7+

    Could you tell the difference between a Cuyaba dwarf frog’s face and its, ahem, bum? Would you be fooled by the smiling face disp…

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  • The Concrete Garden

    Author: Bob Graham

    Interest level: 4-5

    Reading age: 7+

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  • The Concrete Garden

    Author: Bob Graham

    Interest level: 4-5

    Reading age: 7+

    Children join in to draw a beautiful garden with chalk. A gorgeous picture book celebrating community and the positive effect art …

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  • Space Pirate Bears

    Author: Alastair Chisholm Illustrator: Jez Tuya

    Interest level: 6-7

    Reading age: 7+

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  • Space Pirate Bears

    Author: Alastair Chisholm Illustrator: Jez Tuya

    Interest level: 6-7

    Reading age: 7+

    A funny and inventive picture book that celebrates the power of storytelling. One dreary day Dad tells Jamie and Abby a story abou…

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  • A First Book of Dinosaurs

    Author: Simon Mole Illustrator: Matt Hunt

    Interest level: 6-8

    Reading age: 8+

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  • A First Book of Dinosaurs

    Author: Simon Mole Illustrator: Matt Hunt

    Interest level: 6-8

    Reading age: 8+

    This fun and inventive collection of thirty roar-some, illustrated poems celebrates the weird and wonderful world of dinosaurs.&nb…

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