Rose’s Garden

By Peter H. Reynolds, Wikipedia

Year: 2010

Publisher: Walker Books, London

Age: 4 – 8 years

No. of Pages: 40

Book Type: Picture Book

ISBN:  978 1 40633 076 2

Rose, an adventurous free spirit, embarks on a long, long journey to explore the world. She gathers seeds as mementos. Soon, her quaint little teapot, which also happens to be her vessel of choice on her voyage, is filled with seeds. She finds a city to plant her unique garden and sets about working on it.

Her plans turn awry but the kindness of the people around her result in a spectacular garden that is a source of joy for everyone else in the city.

Excerpt

Rose was a dreamer.

An adventurer.

She explored the world in her fantastic teapot.

Measuring Angels

Text: Lesley Ely

Illustrations: Polly Dunbar, Wikipedia

Year: 2008

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, London

Age: 5 - 8 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture Book

ISBN:  978 1 84780 048 0

There’s trouble brewing at school. A little girl feels left out and Miss Miles the teacher finds the solution with sunflower seeds.

Miss Miles gives the little girl a flower pot and Sophie, who’s not her friend, the sunflower seed. They are not happy about having to work together and so is the sunflower. Their plant is the weediest and smallest. 

Miss Miles suggests that they talk to the plant. They do. Soon, the plant grows beautifully and the two little girls are friends.

Excerpt

“This sunflower isn’t happy,” said Miss Miles. “Why don’t you talk to it? Talking to plants sometimes helps them grow.”

So we tried. We got close. 

Buzz Bumble to the Rescue

Text:  Lynn E. Hazen

Illustrations:  Jill Newton

Year: 2006

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing, London

Age: 4 – 8 years

No. of Pages: 30

Book Type: Picture Book

ISBN:  978 0 74757 297 6

This story about bees is captured in outstanding illustrations that make each page a work of art.

Buzz Bumble is a star in his garden. All the bees admire him for his style, speed and agility. However, when sweet lil' Baby Bumble comes flying around, all the attention is turned to her.

Buzz Bumble feels miffed but he races to her rescue when she’s trapped in a Venus Flytrap.

He makes it to the cover of “The National Bee-Geographic Magazine.”

We loved this book for its message of self-acceptance and encouraging children to be comfortable with themselves. The sunny illustrations are cheery and adorable. 

Excerpt

“Look at Baby Bumble!” announced Humble.

“Our little fuzzy-buzzy is covered with pollen!”

“Adorable,” cooed Miss Bizzy.

“Where’s Ansel Antennae?” asked Senor Sting. “He must take a picture!”

The Usborne Little Book of Bedtime Stories

Written and retold by Philip Hawthorn

Illustrator: Stephen Cartwright, Wikipedia

Year: 2002

Publisher: Usborne Publishing Ltd., London

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 96

ISBN: 978 0 74604 844 0

This book is a collection of seventeen wise old fairy tales and folk tales with a modern twist and cleverly suited-up to be read as bedtime tales. From classics like Princess and the pea to the Giving Tree, the stories in this book are a great way to end the day for little ones.

Excerpt from Button Nose

‘Why, you little beast, there’s nothing here!” said the witch.

In a flash there was nothing of her either. She vanished in a puff of smoke, and in her place sat the king and queen. The magic spell had been broken because the witch had looked at the inside of the apple, which no-one had ever seen before.

Dewdrop Babies – The Big Storm

Author and Illustrator: Patricia McCarthy

For Ages: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 12

Publisher: Random House Children’s Books, London

Year: 2008

ISBN: 978-0-55255-652-1

This incredibly enchanting book with sparkly glitter on every page and cherubic dewdrop babies with names like Violet, Sweetpea and Poppy is one of those books your children will want to see and read, over and over again.

Despite its cuteness, the story addresses a critical issue that young ones struggle with – the fear of thunder and lightning. The story acknowledges the fear, (calling it a fire-breathing dragon) addresses it and moves on to the splendid after-effects of a thunder shower – shiny sun and a beautiful rainbow.

Excerpt

1       Sweetpea and Rose join in the game, and soon there are petals flying all over the Great Hall, like giant multi-coloured snowflakes.

Even Violet can’t help laughing when a shower of petals lands on her head.

The Rainbow Babies dance and whirl about until they fall into a tangled sticky heap.

Life Cycles – From Caterpillar to Butterfly

Author: Sally Hewitt

Year: 2004

Publisher: QED Publishing, UK

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 24

ISBN: 978 1 84538 083 5

This book belongs to the QED Start Talking Series designed to “stimulate the imagination and encourage children to interact with the books while developing their own vocabulary.”*

This book on butterflies has incredibly detailed photographs that explain the life cycle in full-color and vivid imagery.

Excerpt

The hungry caterpillar grows and grows.

It looks too hairy for these baby birds to eat!

*Quoted from the book’s cover

Princess Buttercup: A Flower Princess Story – Puffin Young Readers Level - 2

Author: Wendy Cheyette Lewison

Illustrator: Jerry Smath

Year: 2001

Publisher: Puffin Young Readers, New York

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978-0-448-46123-6

Princess Buttercup is a classic fairy tale of frolicking innocence and fantasy from the Puffin Young Readers series.

It is the first day of spring and six Flower Princesses wake up to a beautiful morning. It is also the perfect day to host a party. Princess Buttercup is asked to pick flowers for the party. She follows a butterfly into the woods and soon she is lost. She then hits upon an ingenious idea to find her way back to the magic garden.

Excerpt

Soon the butterfly sees the buttercup,

Down, down it flies.

Now the butterfly is just over her head.

She grabs hold of it and …

Whee! Off they go!

Other titles in this series

• Level - 1: A new friend
• Level - 1: At the beach 
• Level - 1: Ice Cream Soup
• Level - 1: Max has a Fish
• Level - 1: Nicky Upstairs and Down 
• Level - 1: Play with Blue
• Level - 1: Tiny goes camping 
• Level - 1: Tiny the Birthday Dog 
• Level - 1: Tiny the Snow Dog 

• Level - 2: Cowboy Roy
• Level - 2: Red, White and Blue
• Level - 2: Shape Spotters
• Level - 2: Snug Bug
• Level - 2: The Garden that we grew  
• Level - 2: The very lonely firefly
• Level - 2: Who stole the cookies?

• Level - 3: Agapanthus Hum and the Eyeglasses
• Level - 3: Amanda Pig on her own
• Level - 3: Why do birds sing?

Snuffle and the flower

Author:  A J Wood

Illustrator: Jonathan Lambert

Year: 2008

Publisher: Templar Publishing, UK

Age: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 26

ISBN: 978-1-84011-142-2

The simply adorable Snuffle is back and in his search for a friend to play with, he comes across something “small and green.” As he watches over this strange thing, he finds a bee to play with and eventually, plenty of butterflies too.

I loved the subtle way in which the author manages to teach children a plant’s life-cycle and the need for sunshine and rain without looking or sounding like a textbook. 

I would, truly, love to see Snuffle in an animated television series. Hint! Hint! :-)

Excerpt

Snuffle is wondering what the seedling might grow into when a bee buzzes by.

The bee does not like the seedling.

Loop the loop!

It flies in circles – is it looking for something. 

Little Fairy Can’t Sleep

By Daniela Drescher

Year: 2007

Publisher: Floris Books, UK

Age: 6 and above

No. of Pages: 20

ISBN: 978-0-86315-825-4

This bedtime storybook is enchanting. The story, the words, the paintings – all of them weave that perfect magical moment where one feels tender happiness and warm camaraderie.

Faith, the little fairy can’t get to sleep because there’s magic in the air. She wanders through the night in search of the magic which happens to be a midsummer night’s party.

Excerpt

The crickets were chirping loudly, the fireflies were flickering brightly, and the full moon smiled down on Faith’s bed of flowers.

It was impossible to sleep. There was rustling, crackling and crunching all around … and magic was in the air.

What was going on? The little fairy got up and flew off into the night. 

The Listening Walk (Miss Spider’s Sunny Patch Friends)

By David Kirk

Year: 2005

Publisher: Callaway and Kirk Company

Age: 8 and above

No. of Pages: 34

ISBN:  978 0 44843 999 9

I love the bright colors and illustrations that characterize Miss Spider books.

Little Wiggle can’t go to sleep because he hears scary noises. So his mom take him on a jungle tour where he realizes that the whooshing sound was just Louie Luna the moth, the creaking sound was Spindella the spider, and the clack-clack was only Eunice Earwig crunching on a snack.

There are a few difficult words to this bedtime tale and, at least, for the first time, a parent will have to read the book with the child.

Excerpt

“I do believe in monsters!” Wiggle croaked. “Don’t eat me, please!”

“They’re only fireflies!” laughed his mom. “We've come along this way

To get our chance to see them dance the firefly ballet.”