I say 'current' favourites as I love so many picture books and carry a whole bundle of them to read to children at book fairs, but every few months I change the titles. These aren't necessarily newly published titles. Sometimes they are, but I love finding books that are new to me and the students.
This Autumn, these are the ones you will find me reading in the classrooms:
Let's Go For A Drive; An Elephant and Piggie Book
Mo Williems - 2014
€8.50
If you have not yet enjoyed the phenomenon of Elephant & Piggie then this is a great book to get you started. Two best friends who can't help but make you smile. Elephant Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to. In Let's Go for a Drive, we learn (hilariously) that the best-laid plans often go awry!
Excellent to read aloud as you can do some brilliant excited voices for the characters and, as you read, you know this is going to all go wrong and find yourself wanting to shout to Elephant & Piggie the obvious thing they have omitted from their plan!
Oh No George!
Chris Haughton -2014
€8.50 Paperback
George wants to be good. He tries to be good. But he has just seen a cake in the kitchen...What will George do?!
I love reading this book aloud as I don't mind saying I have found a great voice for George in my voice collection, so I have a lot of fun reading it. What is also fantastic about this book is there is a great message in the story about making good choices and how hard that can be sometimes.
This Is Not My Hat
Jon Klassen - 2014
€8.50
A fish has stolen a hat, which he'll probably get away with. Probably.
The illustrations in this book are tremendous. In fact, they tell most of the story for us but the few words chosen by Jon Klassen are so humorous and dead-pan that the combination make this a lot of fun for reader and listener. A great book for older children to demonstrate the power of words and how illustrations can have such an impact.
Who Wants To Be a Poodle, I Don't
Lauren Child - 2011
€9.90
Don't you ever yearn just to be you? The story of a pampered little poodle who just wants to paddle in puddles, like real dogs do.
A fabulous 'longer' picture book about a fancy poodle who longs for a different dog life. Great for children who are ready for a longer story and written and illustrated by Lauren Child...surely that is enough to convince you to pick up this book? Trust me, Mademoiselle Verity Brûlée and Trixie Twinkle Toes will be one you read, and enjoy, many many times.