Recommended reading

Here are some of my favourite picture books.
Helen Warburton. Under Fives' Library Development Officer

The Big Red Bath by Julia Jarman and Adrian Reynolds
Follow Ben and Bella in this bath time adventure and find out just how many animals they can squeeze in their bath! Beautiful text full of action and rhymes, this book is loved by children at Story-rhymetimes.

There Are No Cats In This Book by Viviane Scwharz
The title is a little misleading as there are LOTS of cats in this book. They have their bags packed, ready to see the world but there is one small problem - they can't find a way out of the book! Could you be the one to help them? A fantastically interactive and imaginative book with lots of flaps and pop-ups to keep your child entertained.

Never Use a Knife and Fork by Neil Goddard
This book is a little bit naughty but a lot of fun. Squeezing cheese between your knees and painting pictures with your peas are probably not the best examples of good table manners but this is exactly why children love this book. Full of rhyming text and colourful illustrations, this book is just the right length for both children and adults to enjoy.

Wiggle, Jump, Stomp, Mr Croc by Jo Lodge
Can you wiggle like a worm or stomp like an elephant? Well Mr Croc can and he will show you how in this fantastic book. Packed with pop-ups and tabs to pull you can watch as Mr Croc jumps up high like a frog in front of your very eyes! I love all the Mr Croc books but this one is most definitely one of my favourites.

On the Way Home by Jill Murphy
This is one of my favourites from when I was little. It follows Claire on her way home to tell her mum how she hurt her knee. She meets some friends on the way and gives each of them a different story of how it happened. Was it really because she fell from an alien space ship or did it happen when she escaped from the big bad wolf? You'll have to have a read and find out.

Tom and the Tinful of Trouble by Nick Sharratt and Stephen Tucker
Tom finds a tin of red paint. It takes him 1, 2, 3 seconds to decide what to do with it... Paint the front room! Full of fun this book is perfect to share or for children to read alone. It is full of colourful illustrations with lots going on for you to spot. Well worth a read or two.  

Five minutes peace by Jill Murphy
Another favourite from my childhood, this book is part of a series following a family of elephants - The Large family. Mrs Large just wants five minutes peace to have a relaxing bath but her children have other ideas. A nice gentle story with a subtle underlying message all parents can relate to - that sometimes mummy just needs a rest. A beautiful book you will read again and again.

Mr Big by Ed Vere
Mr Big is, well, BIG! He doesn't feel as though he fits in so spends a lot of time in his apartment playing his piano.  Little do his neighbours know that the beautiful music they can hear all across town is being played by Mr Big! Will the animals ever get to know the real Mr Big? A brilliant book that teaches children not judge a book by its cover. Perfect for bedtime.

Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend by Melanie Watt
I love this book! It is as much fun for adults as it is for children, with lots going on each page. Scaredy Squirrel is pretty much scared of everything. He will not leave his tree as there are far too many scary things out there like Godzilla and bunnies, so he does not have any friends. In this instalment we follow Scaredy as he ventures out into the world and tries to make some friends. Will he do it or will he just runaway? One of the cutest characters I have ever come across and one of the best books I have read.

Stuck by Oliver Jeffries
What would you do if you got your kite stuck in a tree? Throw your shoe to try and knock it down? Well Floyd did. What would you do if that shoe got stuck too? Would you throw your other shoe or the neighbours cat maybe? Well Floyd did! What will he throw up next? Will he ever get his shoes back? Find out for yourselves in this beautifully written and illustrated book from this award winning author. A funny, silly book bound to be loved by adults and children alike.

More great reads

If you like Horrid Henry, there are many other stories about mischievous characters to choose from.

Does your child struggle to read or have dyslexia? Does your child prefer to do other things than read books? There are many books available in Salford's libraries to help engage children's interest in books and boost their confidence in reading.

This page was last updated on 17 April 2012