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Arion and the Dolphin by Vikram Seth


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Just So Stories


Rudyard Kipling - 1902
    The Butterfly That Stamped, and How the Alphabet Was Made..

Aesop's Fables


Aesop
    Aesop was reputedly a tongue-tied slave who miraculously received the power of speech; from his legendary storytelling came the collections of prose and verse fables scattered throughout Greek and Roman literature. First published in English by Caxton in 1484, the fables and their morals continue to charm modern readers: who does not know the story of the tortoise and the hare, or the boy who cried wolf?

Dirty Beasts


Roald Dahl - 1983
    From Stingaling the scorpion to Crocky-Wock the crocodile, Dahl's animals are nothing short of ridiculous. A clever pig with an unmentionable plan to save his own bacon and an anteater with an unusually large appetite are among the characters created by Dahl in these timeless rhymes. This new, larger edition is perfect for reading aloud and makes Quentin Blake's celebrated illustrations even more enjoyable. "Will elicit a loud 'Yuck.' In other words, children will love them." (Children's Book Review Service)

The Fox and the Star


Coralie Bickford-Smith - 2015
    Illuminated by Star’s rays, Fox forages for food, runs with the rabbits, and dances in the rain—until Star suddenly goes out and life changes, leaving Fox huddling for warmth in the unfamiliar dark. To find his missing Star, Fox must embark on a wondrous journey beyond the world he knows—a journey lit by courage, newfound friends, and just maybe, a star-filled new sky. Inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement and the art of William Blake, The Fox and the Star is a heartwarming, hopeful tale which comes alive through Bickford-Smith’s beloved illustrations, guiding readers both young and grown to “look up beyond your ears.”

The Smartest Giant in Town


Julia Donaldson - 2002
    With smart trousers, a smart shirt, stripy tie and shiny shoes, George is a new giant.But on his way home, he meets various animals who desperately need his help ... and his clothes!"My absolute favourite of this year's picture books ... Julia Thompson and Axel Scheffler are a combination made in heaven." - The Independent on Sunday"Who could resist?" - The Sunday Times

The Animals of Farthing Wood


Colin Dann - 1979
    When bulldozers enter Farthing Wood, the animals must escape before their homes are destroyed. They promise to stick together and protect each other—but then they get caught in a fire and nearly drown crossing a river. Will their pact hold? Both heart-wrenching and heartwarming, this beloved story has been translated into 16 languages.

A Story Like the Wind


Gill Lewis - 2017
    They have nothing - except their memories, their stories, and their music. An unforgettable tale of displacement, hope, and the search for freedom.

Brundibar


Tony Kushner - 2002
    With the help of three animals and 300 schoolchildren, they defeat the bully. The story is based on an opera performed by the children of the Nazi concentration camp Terezin.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse


Charlie Mackesy - 2019
    The boy, the mole, the fox and the horse have been shared millions of times online - perhaps you've seen them? They've also been recreated by children in schools and hung on hospital walls. They sometimes even appear on lamp posts and on cafe and bookshop windows. Perhaps you saw the boy and mole on the Comic Relief T-shirt, Love Wins?Here, you will find them together in this book of Charlie's most-loved drawings, adventuring into the Wild and exploring the thoughts and feelings that unite us all.

Nutshell Library


Maurice Sendak - 1962
    Endless adventures await in these lyrical stories that children, and their grown-up readers, will love reading and sharing over and over again.A wonderful stocking stuffer or baby shower gift, Maurice Sendak's Nutshell Library will evoke powerful memories for many, and the rhymes and stories continue to speak to new generations of little ones.And if you prefer your Nutshell Library books on their own and not quite so tiny, each is also now available in a board book edition.

Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse


Chris Riddell - 2013
    She lives in Ghastly-Gorm Hall with her father, Lord Goth, lots of servants and at least half a dozen ghosts, but she hasn't got any friends to explore her enormous, creepy house with.Then, one night, everything changes when Ada meets a ghostly mouse called Ishmael. Together they set out to solve the mystery of the strange happenings at Ghastly-Gorm Hall, and get a lot more than they bargained for...

The World of Winnie-the-Pooh


A.A. Milne - 1926
    The world of Pooh is the Thousand Acre Wood of Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, Kanga, Christopher Robin, and more. He is a whimsical philosopher, staunch friend, plump, and fond of honey. He calls himself a Bear of Very Little Brain, but is wise and loving. Delicate paintings loved by centuries of children.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: The Poetry of Mister Rogers


Fred Rogers - 2019
    Through songs, puppets, and frank conversations, Mister Rogers instilled the values of kindness, patience, and self-esteem in his viewers, and most of all, taught children how loved they were, just by being themselves. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood reimagines the songs from the show as poetry, ranging from the iconic "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" to the forgotten gems. The poems deal with topics such as difficult feelings, new siblings, everyday routines, imagination, and more.

Hip and Hop, Don't Stop!


Jef Czekaj - 2010
    Hop is a bunny who raps superfast. One afternoon they see a poster for a rap contest and become friends. On the day of the big event, rappers like LudaFish and Notorious P.I.G. take the stage. It comes down to a rap-off between Hip and Hop, but this time neither slow nor fast wins the prize.This engaging new take on the fable of the tortoise and the hare combines elements of comics with a traditional picture book. Hilarious mini-raps recited at varying speeds make for a rollicking read-aloud that kids will want to hear-and perform-over and over.

Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose


Dr. Seuss - 1948
    When Thidwick allows a motley collection of creatures to set up home in his antlers, the kindly moose soon finds that his guests have gone too far!