Good books as presents eg recommended but unlikely to have already

Sequin that is a lovely idea.

We like Shoe Baby a lot here, also Giles Andreas (sp) Dinosaurs Galore and Tiddler and Sharing a Shell by Julia Donaldson.

Nick Sharratt's Elephant Welliphant, You Choose and Chocolate Mousse for Greedy Goose are also great (at least I think they are all Nick Sharratt, am too lazy to go and check right now!)

oooh sequin love that idea!

I like to put the name of the child in an advanced amazon search as the title. It's a bit of a gamble if there are no reviews but I have a lovely book for my daughter Beth about a little girl called Beth who will not get in the bath and one for my son Matthew about a little mouse called Matthew who dreams of becoming an artist. Lovely keepsakes.

For babies, we've just bought a fabric book made by Galt which has 7 pockets to put photos in. I thought this was a lovely idea.

Anything by Jez Alborough goes down well in our house - we have several of the Duck books.
Also anything by Nick Sharratt - DD (now 4.5) loves the Daisy books.

I also agree for a "big" present it is really lovely to get a hardback anthology, just because they last longer and can become family heirlooms - I have a Grimms Fairy Tales from my godmother for my christening, and a Peter Pan illustrated by Mabel Lucie Attwell which will be handed on to my DCs when they are older.

Also No Roses for Harry - Dirty Harry and harry by the sea seem to be reasonably common now (very very good though) but No Roses for Harry not so much, and it's hilarious!

For maybe 4 year olds, The Kiss that Missed. Can't remember the author, any bookshop would know it.

For 3 year olds, My Cat Likes To Hide In Boxes by Lynley Davidson. famous author (hairy maclary) but lesser known book i think.

for 2 - 3 year olds, One is a Snail, Ten is a Crab by April Pulley Sayre. A stone-cold classic counting book, possibly recent? i've always had to order it as it flies off the shelf everywhere, it's so funny.

for maybe 5 year olds, Anatole by Eve Titus - my favourite as a child - may be only second hand now. A mouse who makes his own dream job as a cheese taster - i also love his six children called Claude and Claudette, Paul and Paulette and George and Georgette.

Don't put your finger in the jelly, Nelly and Choclate Mousse for Greedy Goose both popular with DCs when toddlers, along with Peepo and Each Peach Pear Plum.

One I bought after a MN recommendation was the King of the Copper Mountains by Paul Beigel which is a lovely story for 6-8 age group.

For older kids (I'd say 5 yrs plus) - anything by Astrid Lindgren, esp Pippi Longstocking (not just for girls, this one!), Karlson, Emil (naughty boy stories - but I'm a girl and loved them!), oh, just about ANYTHING by Astrid Lindgren www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=books-uk&field-author=Astrid%20Lindgren

Moomintroll stories by Tove Jansson www.amazon.co.uk/gp/search/ref=a9_sc_1?rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3Atove+jansson&keywords=tove+jansson&ie=UTF8&qid=1287009598

Winnie the Pooh and Just So Stories are quite obvious, yet I can't but mention them again they are pure magic

The Elephant and the Bad Baby

www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/raymond+briggs/raymond+briggs/elfrida+vipont/the+elephant+and+the+bad+baby/4045930/

It is brilliant. I loved when I was little and my kids still love it now, even though they are not so little!

And Garth Pig and the Ice Cream Lady is a favourite

www.amazon.co.uk/Garth-Pig-Ice-Cream-Lady/dp/068970495X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1287004130&sr=1-1

as are all Ladybird books, particularly The Magic Porridge Pot, Red Riding Hood, The Magic Stone, Billy Goats Gruff and Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

Waldo the Worm can't recommend this one enough

'Goodnight Moon' for under fives, lovely pictures, with cleverly changing light.
'Going on a Bear Hunt' good repetition.
My 5 year old son loves 'Mr Men' & 'Little Miss' Books at the moment. When my daughter was 5 she loved the 'Rainbow Fairies'.

Some good suggestions coming forward.

For 5 plus I would say A neclace of raindrops by joan aitkin. The jan pienkowski pictures are so lovely.

And for 8 plus The wind on the moon by eric linklater

and peepo definitely for babies. It's so perfect

I'm coming late to this thread, but would really like to recommend Possum Magic

DD (4) absolutely loves it

getting on this thread, thanks for all the recommendations

One I love (and so does DS) about having a baby brother or sister is called Little Brother and the cough there's a bit in it that goes ROCK HIS PRAM AND ROCK HIS PRAM AND ROCK HIS PRAM UNTIL IT TIPS OVER AND TIPS HIM OUT and we do the actions :o

'Where is the Green Sheep?' by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek.
This is a beautiful Australian book and no-one in UK seems to have seen it and it is absolutely wonderful. Beautiful illustrations and amusing simple text. In board book form is probably best. My kids adore it.

www.amazon.co.uk/Where-Green-Sheep-Judy-Horacek/dp/0152067043/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1286040310&sr=8-1

Hi,Im Maggie,after reading your message, thought I could help.My husband and I self published 2 childrens books a short while ago.Both are colour illustrated throughout. Titles are,, (,The house with no snow)and (Soooperb Spiders).The house with no snow, is about Bullying.The school whimp slowly shows he can over come his fear, and deals with the bully.. Sooooperb Spiders, shows that girls can be strong and assertive, while boys can be sensitive. Both are exciting adventure stories.If you pay for the postage I will send you them free.It would be helpful if you visited my facebook page, and shared it with your friends if your child is happy with the books.

My DD loves the 'Little Rabbit' books by Harry Horse
Also Dexter Bexley and the Big Blue Beastie
Percy the Park Keeper - lots of those
John Burningham - don't think anyone has mentioned him yet - slightly different childrens books - Mr Gumpys outing, the Mouse that wanted to play the balalaika.

The Chocolate Biscuit Tree - I love this one - about a badger who finds a chocolate biscuit left behind in the forest after a picnic and instead of sharing it, plants it to try and grow a chocolate biscuit tree, and then can't remember where he planted it.

Another top favourite is Bumpus Jumpus Dinosaur Rumpus by Tony Mitten - the best read aloud book I know.

Some more subversive favourites are A Pigs book of Manners - about a little boy - Johnny Squelch Nose - who is badly behaved - is rude at parties and improves his behaviour only when Claude Curly Tail the pig moves in next door and gets invited to everything - and lots of other great books by the same author - "Where Willie went" - the best book I have seen explaining conception, and "Jesus' Christmas Party" - also VG - a lovely Christmas book about a grumpy innkeeper who is being kept awake by people knocking on the inn door and finally by a throng of angels etc etc - also "the Queen's Knickers" etc etc all very funny

Alfie and Annie Rose books
My Naughty Little Sister
The Bell Family
Lucy & Tom books
Anything else written or illustrated by Shirley Hughes.

You may well not have heard of these:
www.amazon.co.uk/Bottomby-Simon-Cheshire/dp/0956504914
www.amazon.co.uk/Jeremy-Brown-Spy-Simon-Cheshire/dp/0956504906
But they're very funny. I don't know any child who's read them who didn't think they were great

For babies + toddlers:
Charley Harper's ABC
and
anything by Alison Jay - all her board books are gorgeous and great value on Amazon.

For pre-school:
Anything by Mo Willems
Anything by Mick Inkpen - particularly The Blue Balloon
The Octonauts series is fab

For older children:
David Weisner has some lovely picture books for older children

So Much
Hairy McClary
The minor Seusses
The Paper Bag Princess
The Sailor Dog

Teddy Robinson books for the slightly older child.

Jill Murphy's books (Large Family/ Peace at Last/ Whatever Next)

Giles Andreasa (???) - Commotion in the Ocean/Rumble in the Jungle

Mick/Mike Inkpen - Kipper/ Blue Balloon

There is also a whole range of stories based on the African animals ... The Enormous Elephant, Laughing Giraffe/ Crafty Chameleon ...