UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
ALL I HOPE FOR YOU (Kate Thompson, Kitty Harris)
I wonder, my little one, who will you be
when you're out in this world, big and wide?
A bundle so precious and tiny and loved,
you will carry my heart by your side . . .
All I Hope For You (Puffin, 2024) is a gorgeously crafted picture book that’s as meaningful as it is beautiful. The words are gentle and poetic, offering life lessons about kindness, resilience, and the importance of staying true to oneself. The artwork is vibrant and warm, whimsical and comforting, and it shares lessons of love, hope and wisdom in a way that will captivate young audiences.
All I Hope For You is more than just a picture book—it’s a keepsake, a book to be treasured that speaks to the hopes and dreams we all have for the children in our lives.
TIME TO HUSH AND SAY GOOD NIGHT (Chitra Soundar, Sandhya Prabhat)
Count the stars that twinkle bright.
It’s time to hush and say good night.
Time to Hush and Say Good Night (Walker, 2024) is a loving lullaby from a father to a child. The rhythmic rhyme and sweeping illustrations give the story a dreamlike quality with lots to pore over and savour, including flora and fauna infused with the spirit of India. Inspired by ancient Indian lullabies, the father reassures the child by calming whistling winds, spinning a dusk of red and weaving a quilt of dreams as they prepare to sleep. Lovingly written and sumptuously illustrated.
HOW THE STARS CAME TO BE (Poonam Mistry)
Have you ever wondered how the stars came to be in the sky? In How The Stars Came To Be (Tate Publishing, 2021), the Fisherman’s Daughter learns a different and magical way to understand the night sky.
This beautifully designed, exquisitely illustrated book holds a modern-day folk tale starring the fisherman's daughter, who loves to dance in the sunlight and bathe in the glow of the moon. But when the moon disappears for a few nights each month, she worries about her father and how he will find his way home to her. One night, after the sun finds her crying, the girl discovers there is always light in the darkness.
A magical compilation of words and pictures.
THE BOY WHO LOVED EVERYONE (Jane Porter, Maisie Paradise Shaerring)
"I love you," Dimitri tells everyone, from his friends at nursery to the big tree in the playground. But Dimitri can’t understand why no one says ‘I love you’ back. When he worries that no one loves him, his mum explains that there are lots of different ways to show our feelings and to show love.
The old man tells the stray cats he loves them with tuna. The dinner lady says 'I love you' with a smile and Stella, Sue and Sophie feed the birds seed to show them they love them. Dimitri begins to see that there are many ways that love can spread through the world.
The Boy Who Loved Everyone (Walker Books, 2020) is a beautiful and uplifting story that oozes unconditional love.
MY DADDIES! (Gareth Peter, Garry Parsons)
My Daddies (Puffin, 2021) is a lovely celebration of imagination and stories as well as adoption and LGBTQ+ families. Battle dragons, dodge deadly dinosaurs, zoom to the moon and explore the world in a hot air balloon, before winding down in a wonderfully cosy bedtime ending.
The joyful rhyming text and artwork is full of life. The story was inspired by Gareth Peter’s own experience as a parent within a same-sex couple. This would be a wonderful and important to read with any child, in order for them to see all different kinds of families that exist.
(Reviewed Naomi Jones, author of Thunder Boots)
THE DRESS IN THE WINDOW (Robert Tregoning, Pippa Curnick)
The Dress In The Window (OUP, 2023) is a powerful, dazzling story about a boy who spots a glowing, flowing red dress in a second hand shop. The boy wishes that one day the dress might be his and imagines its life before. Then he spends his days doing chores for the neighbours, so he can save enough to buy it. But when that day arrives, the dress has already been bought.
This is a colourful, affirming, uplifting book for all children, with gorgeous illustrations and brilliant rhyme. With themes of unconditional love and acceptance, it shows children just how dazzling life can be when you are supported to be true to yourself.
A FAMILY CHRISTMAS (Alana Washington, Emily Nash)
A Family Christmas (UCLAN, 2022) is a heart warming Christmas tale that invites every child to see themselves and their family within its pages.
Full of familiar, joyful family scenes, this book makes for a great story to cuddle up and enjoy in the run up to Christmas. The build up of excitement is explored in Emily's wonderfully happy illustrations - they ooze charm and have delightful details, including dressing granny in Christmas decorations. Alana's rhyming text is packed with fun and love and you can almost hear the laughter coming from the family members as they enjoy their Christmas together.
With all the magical ingredients needed to make the perfect Christmas Day, this is a perfect Christmas book to enjoy year after year.
(Reviewed by Catherine Ward, author of THE EMERALD FOREST)
MY MUST-HAVE MUM (Maudie Smith, Jen Khatun)
My Must-Have Mum (Lantana, 2022) features Jake and his beloved mum who loves to upcycle - in fact she's upcycled every last thing in the apartment!
Jake’s mum is not like most mums. Say there's a skip in the street, most mums will pass right by without a second glance. Not Jake’s mum. 'Look at this, Jake!' she'll shout. 'We must have this! We must have this, too! And we simply must have this!' That’s Jake’s mum for you. She’s a must-have mum.
Jake begins to worry that the only thing left to change is . . . him!
This clever, vibrant story is bursting with unconditional love, both from Mum's and child's perspective. It's a heart-warming tale of a mother-child relationship with themes of recycling and being accepted for who you are.
THE BIG DAY (Rachel Plummer, Forest Burdett)
When a giant, sparkly blue envelope arrives in the post, one tiny human attends a giant-sized celebration of love they’ll never forget - a magical wedding where witches, elves, unicorns and more gather in excitement. They watch the giant grooms sweep in with a burst of gorgeous colour and exchange vows, before everyone tucks in to an other-worldly wedding feast.
This is a book packed with colour and inclusive love, with flaps that uncover story details such as the RSVP, the menu and magical wedding scenes. It’s written in rhyme with a BIG imagination to match the magical big day perfectly.
The Big Day (Little Tiger 2024) is the perfect opportunity to celebrate pride, LGBTQ+ and all love in all forms. A joyful and giant-sized celebration of love!
THERE’S A TIGER ON THE TRAIN (Mariesa Dulak, Rebecca Cobb)
You'll never guess what happened
On our trip down to the sea . . .
A tiger in a top hat
Came and sat right next to me!
There’s a Tiger on The Train (Faber, 2024) features a boy and his dad aboard a train to the seaside. But Dad is stuck to his phone and misses a whole menagerie of noisy, colourful, playful passengers! It’s an extraordinary journey with a family of hippos, a band of crocs, a mum with piglets in tow, pugs and more.
This energetic, vibrant story is bursting with fun characters, with a dynamic rhythm to match. The journey ends with a satisfying but surprising twist, in which the tiger helps Dad to pay attention to what is right in front of his nose. A delightful rhyming tale with a subtle nod to phubbing - choosing a device over a loved one.
I LOVE YOU MORE (Clare Helen Welsh, Kevin and Kristem Howdeshell)
A heartfelt celebration of parental love and the beauty of nature.
How much does Mum love her little Rae? More than seal pups and penguins love their icy home, more than dolphins love the boundless sea or lions love to race and roar, more even than all the stars, the moon and the sun combined. In fact, she loves her more than words can even say . . .
A beautiful, lyrical story which reassures children that the love between a parent and child is unconditional and everlasting, whilst encouraging them to explore and discover, to change and grow.
Perfect for fans of Giles Andreae and Emma Dodd and picture books Guess How Much I Love You? by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram and No Matter What by Debi Gliori.