Different Children’s books

[RosieLemonade]

I’m so bored of DD’s books. I’m going to have a purge of some of the more babyish ones and get her a few new ones. What can I get her that’s a bit different? We love reading and read a lot but I’m just stuck for ideas.

How old is she?

Sorry forgot to mention she’s 3 and a half

Allan Alda family books are popular here - mr biff the boxer, mrs lather’s laundry etc.
They also have an unhealthy love for the underpants books (aliens love underpants etc) but they’re dreadful to read.

What books do you have that you want to change?

Hairy McClary
Alfie and Annie Rose
Topsy and Tim
Funnybones
Percy the Park Keeper
Apple Tree Farm
Brambly Hedge
Winnie the Witch
My Naughty Little Sister
The Large Family
Handa’s Surprise

Have you got You Choose?

Claude books by Alex Smith. Very short chapter books (with lots of pictures).

DS is the same age. He loves all the Axel Scheffler/Julia Donaldson ones, Mog ones and Hairy McClary.

I've got And tango Makes Three on his Christmas list, and some of the little people big dreams ones.

He really likes a proper story- me reading to him obviously!

Bit old still for your DC maybe but Alan and Janet Ahlberg made some hilarious books about a robber family and about a weird thieving teacher.

I would hold off from the Ahlberg Happy Families series just yet, as they make great stories for DCs to read themselves around 6yo (though agree they are really good). The other Alhberg books my 4yo loves are Funnybones, the Jolly Postman series, and Starting School.

She also likes various books by Rachel Bright (The koala who could, The lion inside, Worrysaurus), Philip Bunting (Koalas eat gum leaves, Mopoke, Sandcastle), The bunnies on the bus, the Oi Frog series, The bear and the piano, some Julia Donaldson (Tyrannosaurus Drip), the You Choose series, shorter Roald Dahl stories (Revolting rhymes, Dirty Beasts, The enormous crocodile), and the Mog the forgetful cat series.

Dr Seuss - absolutely brilliant to read
Jill Murphy books
Rachel bright books (the way home for wolf is a favourite)
We recently bought One by Kathryn Otishi which hasn't been our down.
Ten little.. books
Rosie Revere and Ada twist by Andrea Beaty

My son is 4 and a book addict

Favourites here:

Flip Flap series (axel Scheffler)
Oi series (e.g. oi frog)
You choose series
The Lion Inside
Meg and Mog series
The little people big dreams series (biographies of inspirational people)
Mr Men series
Funnybones

Mine have enjoyed "My Big Shouting Day" and "The Christmas Show" by Rebecca Patterson. Also, "You Can't Take An Elephant on the Bus" by Patricia Cleveland- Peck and "There's A Lion in My Cornflakes" by Michelle Robinson

Simon James has written lots of lovely books. DS2 loved "Dear Greenpeace", "My Friend Whale" and the "Baby Brains" books.

DS2 (4) currently loves:
You Choose
A Visitor for Bear (and sequels)
Hugless Douglas
Hairy McClarey
The Elephant and the Bad Baby
Dear Zoo

Mine adored the Hairy MacLairy books at that age, and Oliver Jeffers.

if you are reading aloud, look for books with a rhyme or poem - it is much more fun to read and can include some very complex words (like the Hairy McClary books).

For the child to read to themselves, you want very simple repetitive words (e.g. Dr Seuss).

Mine loved

all the Oliver Jeffers books, but especially the way back home

Winnie the witch

The lion in the meadow by Margaret Mahy

There's a hippopotamus On my roof eating cake.

And I enjoyed reading them.

We're really enjoying the Supertato books, Handa's Hen, I Can Roar Like A Dinosaur, Look Up and Clean Up, Meesha Makes Friends, Ravi's Roar, Star Bird, The Girl and The Dinosaur. We have a Yes Bebe subscription which we sign up to and receive a fiction and non fiction book each month and it's really broadened our reading!

yesbebe.org/subscription/shop/

Following a suggestion on a similar thread 5 years ago I can recommend The Runaway Dinner by Allan Alberg. Hilarious!

DD also loved Winnie the Witch at that age.

And you MUST get Christmas on Exeter Street for December reading. Its brilliant.

Allan ahlberg!!! Not Allan Alda!

The Runaway Dinner is great - DS asked for that to be read to him hundreds of times. Another big favourite (which sparked a load of silly made-up stories of our own) was Fortunately, Unfortunately by Michael Foreman.

The Lighthouse Keeper books
Katie Morag

Anything by Nadia Shireen but especially Bumblebear and Good Little Wolf

The Jolly Postman
As others said - Meg and Mog, You Choose, Funnybones & all Julia Donaldson books. Dick King Smith does some lovely animal based books. Barefoot books have a good range including sing along books and introduction to other cultures.
Also it's not quite the same as normal times but you could take a trip to the library to see what catches DD's eye. The Works do book bundles which are inexpensive to get some variety.

Oh yes I forgot about nadia shireen. We love bumblebear, the cow that fell to earth and billy and the beast.

So many great books for this age!