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Original poster

Future classics and great recent books for 0-4

31 replies

LeeMiller · 06/02/2019 17:35

I have a new baby who I want to start building a book collection for, starting with board books. My 1.5 and 3.5 year old niece and nephew are visiting shortly and love being read to so I'm also thinking of also buying some books for them to enjoy wihle here which I can keep for DS. Since I won't be choosing the books to suit the interests of a specific child I'm interested in sure-fire hits.

I'm familiar with the classics from my own childhod (Eric Carle, the Ahlbergs, Dr Seuss, Judith Kerr etc) and some of the super famous more modern stuff like the Gruffalo and Bear Hunt. But beyond that I have no clue about stuff published in the last 10, 15 years or so.

Does anyone have any recommendations for really great recent books that you can't go wrong with? The kind of books that will become classics in the future? Stuff by authors like Oliver Jeffers, Chris Haughton, Herve Tullet, Jon Klassen looks appealing but I'm not sure which to choose. And there must be many other wonderful things I've never come across.

All 3 kids are being raised bilingual in non-English speaking countries so anything particularly stimulating language-wise (beyond normal parental interaction when reading!) is of particular interest.

PS A while ago I asked for recommendations which led to me buying Stuck by Oliver Jeffers for DN, it couldn' have been a bigger hit, which is why I'm turning the the wisdom of MN again. :-)

OP posts:
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Taytotots · 20/02/2019 01:02

Another vote for 'Oi frog!'. Also 'meet the parents' Peter Bentley and 'oh no George' and 'a little bit lost' Chris haughton.

gabbitt · 19/02/2019 08:09

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YesILikeItToo · 18/02/2019 17:32

One I enjoyed reading over and over was Penguin by Polly Dunbar.

LetItGoToRuin · 18/02/2019 15:40

Love this thread. I have a couple of extra suggestions:

Would you rather... by John Burningham. A lovely picture book which provokes lots of great discussions. Would you rather have breakfast in a balloon, tea on the river or supper in a castle? Would you rather be crushed by a snake, swallowed by a fish or sat on by a hippopotamus?

The Giant Jam Sandwich, by Janet Burroway. Wonderful rhyming language.

spinabifidamom · 12/02/2019 22:42

DS and DD love books that are short. We just finished reading the Peter Pan picture book and are open to new suggestions as to what to try next.

Original poster
LeeMiller · 12/02/2019 07:32

This has been so helpful, thank you everyone! Lots of completely new titles and authors as well as a few I knew but had forgotten about. It's hard for me to browse as we live overseas and shops stock a limited range in English, and though most titles are available in translation the text is often very different and it's impossible to know how good the English version will be. So this has been great.

@RicStar the Rob Biddulph penguin/dog books look fab. I can imagine the funny rhymes in the Oi books being a hit too, @DownWentTheFlag. The Jonny Duddle pirate books look like they'd be a hit with the pirate-loving three year old.

I love the look of the Herve Tullet books like Press here but wondered if they were more appealing for adults than kids, so good to hear you DS loves it @moreismore

I've never heard of The Polar Express but it looks magical. But perhaps it should be saved for a Christmas present along with The Snowman?

@Arnoldillo Click Clack Moo sounds great. Though I will probably need to explain what a typewriter is.

I've ordered a set of 10 Julia Donaldson books which seemed like a good place to start, and The Day the Crayons Quit as I couldn't resist the title. We already have We're going on a bear hunt, Each Peach Pear Plum, Peepo and The Hungry Caterpillar and some Dr Seuss ones. Off to pick out a couple of new titles for 3 year old DN and make an amazon wish list for us so I don't forget any of these recommendations. Smile

OP posts:
RicStar · 11/02/2019 22:03

Penguin blue / odd dog out.

The Man on the moon series.
Nanette's baguette.
Lauren child's original Charlie and Lola stories.
Are most requested along with some of those already mentioned.

Arnoldillo · 11/02/2019 21:56

@LeeMiller here's a summary of the collective cow action book. The book itself is of course much better written and very funny.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Click,_Clack,_Moo

dolphin50 · 11/02/2019 21:51

i love you blue kangaroo and we're going on a bear hunt is amazing as is the polar express
winnie the pooh
peter pan picture book
beatrix potter
shirley hughes
dr seuss
judith kerr
my kids read a lot of picture books. in your local bookshop look for a cover you like the look of and see what you think of it. the giant jumperee is good

GrouchyKiwi · 07/02/2019 10:48

My favourite Oliver Jeffers is How To Catch A Star. It's lovely.

As well as Julia Donaldson (my favourite is The Snail And The Whale) and all the Hairy Maclary books (by Lynley Dodd) we love The Monster At The End Of This Book starring Grover from Sesame Street, Beautiful Oops, and The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes.

moreismore · 07/02/2019 10:41

Also the lift the flap books ‘rabbits nap’ and ‘fox’s Socks’ are really lovely

moreismore · 07/02/2019 10:40

I’m not sure it counts as a classic but we got a book called ‘press here’ as a gift and it’s very clever-has my DS in hysterics

mynameisMrG · 07/02/2019 10:37

The jolly postman and each peach pear plum are nice stories too

mynameisMrG · 07/02/2019 10:36

Zog not zoh

mynameisMrG · 07/02/2019 10:35

Most of the Julia Donaldson books offer nice pictures and language even if the stories are a bit weaker. My son doesn’t like the Gruffalo yet but loves both the Zoh books, room on the broom and what the ladybird heard. I had most of then from when I taught year one so he has inherited. He likes the rhyming and the repetition of some of the lines. You probably can’t go wrong with getting a set

Solasum · 07/02/2019 07:05

Owl babies

You might as well get all the Julia Donaldson ones, though Some of them aren’t great

Goodnight moon

Original poster
LeeMiller · 07/02/2019 07:00

*collective action

OP posts:
Original poster
LeeMiller · 07/02/2019 06:59

Thanks for all the suggestions, off to look them up now while DS is sleeping!

I love Shirley Hughes (especially Dogger) and will definitely be including some of her work in our collection. Mog and Meg and Mog also featured strongly in my own childhood, I guess sometimes the old stuff is the best! But there are lots here that I have never heard of at all, thank you!

I'm especially intrigued by the pro-collection action cow book and the idea of crayons quitting. Smile Since Julia Donaldson is clearly so popular, any specific recommendations beyond the gruffalo - I've seen cheap sets of 10 of her books available, for example, would that be worth it?

OP posts:
blamethecat · 06/02/2019 19:58

We -I- love Hairy Mclairy and the others in the range.
Michael Rosen is a firm favourite too (Wolfman and Chocolate cake in particular).

ImAChaiseLongueGetMeOutOfHere · 06/02/2019 19:14

The day the crayons quit
Mog
Hairy Maclairy
We found a hat

Arnoldillo · 06/02/2019 19:10

Oh and congratulations on your new baby!

MadeinBelfast · 06/02/2019 18:46

Jonny Duddle's books are great. My 4 year old likes them but they're suitable for slightly older children too. We started with 'Gigantosaurus' but now also have his 'Pirate' books and 'King of Space'.

mogtheexcellent · 06/02/2019 18:14

Wonkey Donkey. Huge hit in our house at Christmas.

Arnoldillo · 06/02/2019 18:08

Another nice one by Oliver Jeffers is The Way Back Home.

A nice funny one which incidentally demonstrates the power of collective action (should you be so inclined) is click clack moo, cows that type.

Lullaby lion is a really nice board book with good illustrations - good for bedtime.

And my last suggestion is a really old one that many in the UK are not familiar with but has soothed generations of American children to sleep. Goodnight moon.

DownWentTheFlag · 06/02/2019 18:03

The Oi! books - Oi Cat, Oi Frog, Oi Dog. Wherever you are my love will find you, by Nancy Tillman.