Great Books Guide 2021: 0-3
Here's a round-up of new children's books from the last year (2021), which we think any baby or toddler aged 0-3 will love.
These brilliant books feature in our Great Books Guide and cover everything from early learning to touch-and-feel books and wonderful stories to giggle over together.
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Cheeky Monkey
Author: Zehra Hicks
Publisher: Hodder
Interest age: 2-5
A cute little red monkey wants to play, but nobody wants to play with her! She accidentally causes havoc wherever she goes in her search for a playmate - until she says a magic word that makes everybody want to play with her.
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I Like Trains
Author: Daisy Hirst
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 2-5
Feel the excitement build as a locomotive-loving little dog takes a train journey to visit his granny – who’s a big train fan, too! A great picture book for toddlers and preschoolers.
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Catch That Chicken!
Author: Atinuke Illustrator: Angela Brooksbank
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Interest age: 3-6
Reading age: 6+A joyful, vibrant romp through a Nigerian village in the company of Lami, the best chicken-catcher in the business. A great book for reading to groups, as well as sharing at home.
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I Can Learn My First Colours: Animal World
Author: Lauren Crisp Illustrator: Thomas Elliot
Publisher: Little Tiger
Interest age: 2-5
Learning the colours will be great fun with this rhyming, interactive, board book packed with bright animals and with wooden spinners for little fingers.
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Supertato: Super Squad
Author: Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Interest age: 2-3
Supertato is on a mission to teach Evil Pea a lesson and rallies the Super Squad to help - but what do sprinkle-covered cupcakes have to do with defeating their nemesis? A hilarious, action-packed, and delicious picture book.
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Where's Baby Elephant?
Author: Ali Khodai
Publisher: Tiny Owl
Interest age: 2-3
Embark on a wonderous journey through this innovative lift-the-flap picture book, to discover the whereabouts of baby elephant.
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Time For Bed, Panda
Author: Jo Lodge
Publisher: Campbell Books
Interest age: 0-2
It's time for this adorable googly-eyed panda to get ready for bed - that means having a bath, brushing her teeth and reading a story! A delightfully cuddly and sweet board book for little ones.
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Scruff
Author: Alice Bowsher
Publisher: Cicada Books
Interest age: 2-5
A rather scruffy man goes to the dog pound and finds a dog which is just as scruffy as him: Scruff! But Scruff doesn’t want to jump and run around like the other dogs. Scruff just wants to be pampered!
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The Touch Book: A Sensory Book To Explore
Author: Nicola Edwards Illustrator: Thomas Elliott
Publisher: Little Tiger
Interest age: 1-3
Little fingers explore fluffy, crinkly, bumpy, sticky, rough, and spongy surfaces in this beautifully presented touch-and-feel board book for very young children.
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Where's Lenny?
Author: Ken Wilson-Max
Publisher: Alanna Max
Interest age: 2-3
Lenny and Daddy have a great time playing hide and seek! This charming tale, which features a mixed-race family, is ideal to share with toddlers.
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The Whales on the Bus
Author: Katrina Charman Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Interest age: 1-3
Most of us might know the nursery rhyme The Wheels on the Bus, but what if there were two whales in a double decker, driven by a goldfish? Or a tiger in a glider – or a sheep in a jeep? A hilarious and gorgeously illustrated update on the best-loved nursery rhyme.
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Veg Patch Party
Author: Clare Foges and Al Murphy
Publisher: Faber
When the moon is high and the farm animals have gone to bed... it's time for the vegetables to wake up and throw a party!
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Loves Makes a Family
Author: Sophie Beer
Publisher: Little Tiger
Interest age: 2-5
With simple text, and bursting with bright, vibrant illustrations, this simple, inclusive, board book speaks volumes about all aspects of the love inspired by children in the adults who care for them.
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Mirror Baby: Peekaboo!
Author: Campbell Books
Publisher: Campbell Books
Interest age: 0-1
Peekaboo! Can you see a smiling baby? What about that baby hiding under a blanket? Babies adore seeing photos of other babies and seeing themselves – so what better than a book that shows your little one five other babies they can play peekaboo with, as well as a mirror they can see their own face in?
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Meekoo and the Little Nursery
Author: Camilla Reid Illustrator: Nicola Slater
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Interest age: 2-3
This delightful, interactive board book explores the highs and lows of Meekoo the bear’s busy day at nursery
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Let's Go! On A Digger
Author: Rosalyn Albert Illustrator: Natalia Moore
Publisher: New Frontier
Interest age: 2-3
This lovely rhyming board book for toddlers tells a little story about a girl experiencing the dream of many toddlers – getting to drive a big yellow digger!
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Baby Touch: Food
Author: Ladybird Books Illustrator: Lemon Ribbon Studio
Publisher: Ladybird
Interest age: 1-3
Whether it’s soft ice-cream, messy pasta or bobbly rice cakes, food to babies is all about texture and fun, and this bright and appealing touch-and-feel board book lets them explore without making a mess!
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The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Hide & Seek
Author: Eric Carle
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 1-4
An interactive board book with cut-out finger trails and sturdy flaps that encourage youngsters to explore the forest in the company of the very hungry caterpillar.
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No! said Rabbit
Author: Marjoke Henrichs
Publisher: Scallywag Press
Interest age: 2-4
No matter whether it's time for breakfast, time to get dressed, or a lovely day to go and play - Rabbit's answer is NO! Ideal for toddlers and preschoolers, as well as parents of little ones who have just discovered “no” and like to use it at every opportunity.
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Animal ABC
Author: Nikolas Ilic
Publisher: Happy Yak
Interest age: 1-2
This delightful, colourful board book is perfect as a starting point for animal-loving toddlers learning their alphabet.
