Just a Big Kid

Since deciding to write a children’s story last Autumn I’ve been reading as many children’s books as I can, with regular trips to the library for a new stack. Naturally picture books have always been close to my heart anyway, but I can't think that i’ve ever crammed so many into my head in such a short period of time.
 I’ve read around 60 since October and can’t remember all of the titles, but those I can recall I would like to share. Here are a list of the 25 or so I can remember with my top five at the end (you’ll notice many Oliver Jeffer’s books in the list)



Ferdie and the Falling Leaves – Julia Rawlinson & Tiphanie Beeke
The Ant and the Big Bad Bully Goat -  Andrew Fusek Peters & Anna Wadham
The Tiger Skin Rug – Gerald Rose
Shine Moon Shine -  David Conway and Dubravka Kolanovic
The Great Paper Caper - Oliver Jeffers
Up and Down – Oliver Jeffers
The Way Back Home – Oliver Jeffers
The Heart and the Bottle – Oliver Jeffers

The Hueys in The New Jumper – Oliver Jeffers
Milo Armadillo – Jan Fearnley
The Baby Dragon Tamer - Jan Fearnley
Her Mother’s Face – Roddy Doyle and Freya Blackwood
The Monster Who Ate Darkness -  Joyce Dunbar and Jimmy Liao
The Scariest Thing of All – Debbie Gliori
Colin and the Wrong Shadow – Leigh Hodgkinson

The Tea Party of Miss Moon – Princess Mary Thurn-Taxis
I Want My Hat Back - Jon Klassen
Scruffy Bear and the Six White Mice -  Chris Wormell

Tell Me a Story Mummy – Carl Norac & Mei Matsuoka
Bug and Bear – Ann Bonwill & Layn Marlow
UnPOPpable -  Tom Hopgood
In The Attic – Hiawyn Oram & Satoshi Kitamura
Lunch Time - Rebecca Cobb
Melrose and Croc A Hero’s Birthday – Emma Chichester Clark
Alfie Gets in First – Shirley Hughes
The Paper Dolls -  Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb

Top five from the list starting with my favourite:

1. I Want My Hat Back, Jon Klassen – A short and simple, well-constructed story with a brilliantly dark sense of humour. The end is guaranteed to make you laugh and want to read it over again. So good I had to own it, heres the copy I got for Christmas:


2. The Tiger Skin Rug, Gerald Rose - A really original and captivating tale, with lots of fun colourful illustrations. This satisfying read made me smile from ear to ear.

3. Her Mother’s Face, Roddy Doyle and Freya Blackwood - This is a very moving story about a child coming to terms with her mother’s death. Sad but touching and if you’re like me be warned you will cry.

4. The Great Paper Caper - Oliver Jeffers – Well of course I love all of Oliver Jeffers Books but this is one of my favourites. Its clever, charming and funny.

5. Ferdie and the Falling Leaves – Julia Rawlinson & Tiphanie Beeke – A very sweet, heart-warming read with a lovely twist at the end and charming illustrations.

I’ve now got another 12 waiting on my desk to get through and at least another 50 which I need to get my mitts on.

Would love to hear from you if you have any picture book reading suggestions.